Birds of South Ockendon
What has actually been seen around South Ockendon: 237 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 237 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 94,583 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 18 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about South Ockendon
237 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of South Ockendon (Thurrock) since 2010, across 94,583 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near South Ockendon are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Coot and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in July — about 2.2 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.
West Thurrock, 3 km to the south, has more species on record (252 against 237).
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near South Ockendon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 2,621 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,585 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,542 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,360 |
| 5 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,266 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,215 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,199 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,056 |
| 9 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,993 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,933 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,856 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,779 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 1,753 |
| 14 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,715 |
| 15 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,649 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 1,603 |
| 17 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,544 |
| 18 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 1,543 |
| 19 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,532 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 1,486 |
Records by month
What to put out in South Ockendon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Thurrock
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 South Ockendon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of South Ockendon are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit and House Sparrow, based on 94,583 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near South Ockendon?
237 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in South Ockendon?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in July. 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.