Birds of West Thurrock
What has actually been seen around West Thurrock: 252 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 252 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 332,224 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 14 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about West Thurrock
252 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of West Thurrock (Thurrock) since 2010, across 332,224 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near West Thurrock are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and European Herring Gull 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 Common Kestrel, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in June — 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.
Stone, 3 km to the south, has fewer species on record (221 against 252).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near West Thurrock
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 7,440 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 7,341 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 7,148 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 7,125 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 6,939 |
| 6 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 6,793 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 6,359 |
| 8 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 6,259 |
| 9 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 6,189 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 6,112 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 5,911 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 5,752 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 5,638 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 5,600 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 5,563 |
| 16 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 5,521 |
| 17 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 5,256 |
| 18 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 5,214 |
| 19 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 5,195 |
| 20 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 4,946 |
Records by month
What to put out in West Thurrock
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
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 West Thurrock?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of West Thurrock are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Starling and Robin, based on 332,224 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near West Thurrock?
252 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in West Thurrock?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.