Birds of Ashton in Makerfield
What has actually been seen around Ashton in Makerfield: 170 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 170 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 29,180 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 64 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Ashton in Makerfield
170 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashton in Makerfield (St. Helens) since 2010, across 29,180 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin.
Ashton in Makerfield is a garden-bird place: 67% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 April and are lowest in September — about 3.0 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.
Golborne, 4 km to the east, has more species on record (206 against 170).
Daylight runs from 17 h 2 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashton in Makerfield
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,109 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,071 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,053 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 908 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 889 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 851 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 763 |
| 8 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 713 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 678 |
| 10 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 642 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 631 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 588 |
| 13 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 573 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 564 |
| 15 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 561 |
| 16 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 528 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 519 |
| 18 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 514 |
| 19 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 487 |
| 20 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 472 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashton in Makerfield
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for St. Helens
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 Ashton in Makerfield?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashton in Makerfield are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Magpie and Blue Tit, based on 29,180 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashton in Makerfield?
170 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashton in Makerfield?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.