Birds of Ancaster
What has actually been seen around Ancaster: 93 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 93 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,253 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 46 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Ancaster
93 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ancaster (Lincolnshire) since 2010, across 1,253 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Goldfinch.
Ancaster is a garden-bird place: 72% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Blackbird and Blue Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Kestrel. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in April and are lowest in November — about 91.8 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.
Caythorpe, 6 km to the north-west, has more species on record (110 against 93). Birds logged far more often around Ancaster than there include Red-legged Partridge.
Daylight runs from 16 h 56 min at midsummer to 7 h 34 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ancaster
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 53 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 52 |
| 3 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 42 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 41 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 40 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 40 |
| 7 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 40 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 38 |
| 9 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 36 |
| 10 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 33 |
| 11 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 33 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 30 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 30 |
| 14 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 29 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 29 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 29 |
| 17 | MagpiePica pica | 26 |
| 18 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 25 |
| 19 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 25 |
| 20 | Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa | 24 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ancaster
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Lincolnshire
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 Ancaster?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ancaster are Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Robin, based on 1,253 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ancaster?
93 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ancaster?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:35.
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.