Birds of Stoke St Michael
What has actually been seen around Stoke St Michael: 115 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 115 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 4,481 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 200 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Stoke St Michael
115 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Stoke St Michael (Somerset) since 2010, across 4,481 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Stoke St Michael are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite 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 October and are lowest in January — about 14.5 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.
Oakhill, 3 km to the west, has fewer species on record (105 against 115).
At about 200 m above sea level, Stoke St Michael sits higher than most places in Somerset. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 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 Stoke St Michael
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,247 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 148 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 138 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 119 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 118 |
| 6 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 112 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 112 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 102 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 83 |
| 10 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 79 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 71 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 66 |
| 13 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 59 |
| 14 | MagpiePica pica | 54 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 53 |
| 16 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 44 |
| 17 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 39 |
| 18 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 38 |
| 19 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 38 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 32 |
Records by month
What to put out in Stoke St Michael
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 Stoke St Michael?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Stoke St Michael are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Goldfinch, based on 4,481 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Stoke St Michael?
115 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Stoke St Michael?
Observation records peak in October 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.