Birds of Mells
What has actually been seen around Mells: 97 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 97 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,775 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- November
- Elevation
- 103 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Mells
97 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Mells (Somerset) since 2010, across 5,775 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
The records split between garden birds (54%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Mells sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
8 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 January — about 6.6 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.
Nunney, 4 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (93 against 97).
Daylight runs from 16 h 36 min at midsummer to 7 h 52 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:53 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Mells
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,044 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 223 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 214 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 201 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 171 |
| 6 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 155 |
| 7 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 149 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 146 |
| 9 | SwiftApus apus | 137 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 116 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 112 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 106 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 104 |
| 14 | Great TitParus major | 93 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 92 |
| 16 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 89 |
| 17 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 84 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 78 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 75 |
| 20 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 73 |
Records by month
What to put out in Mells
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Somerset
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 Mells?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Mells are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Jackdaw, based on 5,775 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Mells?
97 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Mells?
Observation records peak in November and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:53.
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.