Birds of Dorchester on Thames
What has actually been seen around Dorchester on Thames: 145 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 145 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 21,857 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 52 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Dorchester on Thames
145 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dorchester on Thames (Oxfordshire) since 2010, across 21,857 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Kite and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 60% of records near Dorchester on Thames are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Great Cormorant lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in October and are lowest in July — about 6.8 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.
Long Wittenham, 3 km to the west, has more species on record (178 against 145).
Daylight runs from 16 h 40 min at midsummer to 7 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dorchester on Thames
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 10,478 |
| 2 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 511 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 462 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 387 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 381 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 360 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 349 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 342 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 307 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 292 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 291 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 263 |
| 13 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 221 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 219 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 211 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 200 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 199 |
| 18 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 197 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 193 |
| 20 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 192 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dorchester on Thames
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Oxfordshire
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 Dorchester on Thames?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dorchester on Thames are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 21,857 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dorchester on Thames?
145 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dorchester on Thames?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.