Birds of Ashington
What has actually been seen around Ashington: 272 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 272 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 95,789 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 32 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.1 h
What the records say about Ashington
272 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashington (Northumberland) since 2010, across 95,789 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 55% of records near Ashington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Tufted Duck lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 2.9 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.
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, 3 km to the east, has fewer species on record (263 against 272). Birds logged far more often around Ashington than there include Common Pochard, Great Crested Grebe and Northern Shoveler.
Daylight runs from 17 h 25 min at midsummer to 7 h 8 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:24 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,820 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,738 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,331 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,227 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 2,208 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,923 |
| 7 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,841 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 1,779 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,715 |
| 10 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,699 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,682 |
| 12 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,629 |
| 13 | GadwallMareca strepera | 1,618 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,615 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,573 |
| 16 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 1,571 |
| 17 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 1,548 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,543 |
| 19 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,464 |
| 20 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 1,411 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Northumberland
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 Ashington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashington are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Blackbird and Magpie, based on 95,789 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashington?
272 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashington?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:24.
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.