Birds of Heckington
What has actually been seen around Heckington: 75 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 75 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 490 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Heckington
75 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Heckington (Lincolnshire) since 2010, across 490 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swift and Carrion Crow.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (25%), so a feeder in Heckington sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Blackbird, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Red Kite. 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 October and are lowest in November — about 114.0 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.
Helpringham, 3 km to the south, has more species on record (84 against 75). Birds logged far more often around Heckington than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Daylight runs from 16 h 56 min at midsummer to 7 h 34 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Heckington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 72 |
| 2 | SwiftApus apus | 20 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 20 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 18 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 17 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 17 |
| 7 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 16 |
| 8 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 14 |
| 9 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 14 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 13 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 12 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 12 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 12 |
| 14 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 12 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 11 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 11 |
| 17 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 11 |
| 18 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 10 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 9 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 9 |
Records by month
What to put out in Heckington
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
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
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 Heckington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Heckington are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Rook, based on 490 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Heckington?
75 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Heckington?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.