Birds of Ashford
What has actually been seen around Ashford: 228 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 228 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 129,106 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 17 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Ashford
228 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashford (Surrey) since 2010, across 129,106 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Starling.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Ashford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 3.3 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.
Staines, 3 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (226 against 228).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 4,556 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 4,331 |
| 3 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 4,045 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 4,016 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 3,930 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,826 |
| 7 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,613 |
| 8 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 3,147 |
| 9 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 3,053 |
| 10 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 2,826 |
| 11 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,805 |
| 12 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 2,781 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 2,621 |
| 14 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,585 |
| 15 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,547 |
| 16 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 2,486 |
| 17 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 2,341 |
| 18 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,146 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 2,065 |
| 20 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 2,030 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Surrey
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 Ashford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashford are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Starling, Magpie and Pied Wagtail, based on 129,106 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashford?
228 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashford?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. 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.