Birds of Castle Donington
What has actually been seen around Castle Donington: 179 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 179 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 36,452 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 69 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Castle Donington
179 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Castle Donington (Leicestershire) since 2010, across 36,452 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Castle Donington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 3.1 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and winter visitors), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Diseworth, 3 km to the south, has fewer species on record (161 against 179). Birds logged far more often around Castle Donington than there include Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Gull.
Daylight runs from 16 h 54 min at midsummer to 7 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Castle Donington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,638 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,254 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,240 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,119 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,115 |
| 6 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,003 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 922 |
| 8 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 916 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 828 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 828 |
| 11 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 824 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 749 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 706 |
| 14 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 676 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 657 |
| 16 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 646 |
| 17 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 624 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 618 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 612 |
| 20 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 597 |
Records by month
What to put out in Castle Donington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Leicestershire
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for UK gardens. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit gardens in Castle Donington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Castle Donington are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird and Robin, based on 36,452 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Castle Donington?
179 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Castle Donington?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:39.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.