Birds of Steeple Aston
What has actually been seen around Steeple Aston: 98 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 98 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,214 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- November
- Elevation
- 116 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Steeple Aston
98 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Steeple Aston (Oxfordshire) since 2010, across 1,214 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swift and Woodpigeon.
The records split between garden birds (52%) and waterbirds (36%), so a feeder in Steeple Aston sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blackbird, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard 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 November and are lowest in February — about 31.3 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.
Somerton, 4 km to the north-east, has more species on record (112 against 98).
Daylight runs from 16 h 43 min at midsummer to 7 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Steeple Aston
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 343 |
| 2 | SwiftApus apus | 57 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 43 |
| 4 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 38 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 37 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 35 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 32 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 32 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 31 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 22 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 22 |
| 12 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 21 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 21 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 19 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 18 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 17 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 16 |
| 18 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 16 |
| 19 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 15 |
| 20 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 14 |
Records by month
What to put out in Steeple Aston
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 Steeple Aston?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Steeple Aston are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Carrion Crow, based on 1,214 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Steeple Aston?
98 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Steeple Aston?
Observation records peak in November and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:44.
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.