Area 1 (The Fields at the End of Walnut Tree Lane)

WESTBERE BIRDS:

Area 1 (the fields at the end of Walnut Tree Lane)

Regular breeding species: Song Thrush; Mistle Thrush.

Scarce breeding species: Linnet; Yellowhammer.

Winter visitors: Fieldfare; Redwing.

Area 2 (Westbere Lake)

Regular breeding species: Mute Swan; Greylag Goose;

Canada Goose; Gadwall; Mallard;

Shoveler (probable); Tufted Duck; Little Grebe;

Great Crested Grebe; Grey Heron (Trenley Park Woods);

Water Rail; Moorhen; Coot;

Common Tern (breeds at Stodmarsh).

Also recorded fairly regularly, summer and/ or winter: Wigeon;

Teal; Pochard; Cormorant (breeds at Collard’s Lake);

Bittern; Little Egret; Smew;

Goldeneye; Gull (most of the common species).

Area 3 (Westbere Marshes and areas around Westbere Lake)

Marsh Harrier; Sparrowhawk; Kestrel;

Hobby; Peregrine; Buzzard;

Tawny Owl; (these all probably breed in or near the area)

Pheasant; Stock Dove; Wood Pigeon;

Collared Dove; Turtle Dove; Cuckoo;

Kingfisher; Green Woodpecker; Nightingale;

Cetti’s Warbler; Sedge Warbler; Reed Warbler;

Lesser Whitethroat; Whitethroat; Garden Warbler;

Blackcap; Chiffchaff; Willow Warbler;

Bearded Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Rook; Carrion Crow; Reed Bunting.

Area 4 (in and around the Village)

Great Spotted Woodpecker; Swallow; House Martin;

Wren; Dunnock; Robin;

Blackbird; Blue Tit; Great Tit;

Jay; Magpie; Starling;

House Sparrow; Chaffinch; Greenfinch;

Goldfinch; Bullfinch.

There is obviously a strong element of overlap, particularly between areas 3 and 4, with birds being present in more than one location. I have tried to concentrate as much as possible on birds which breed in or near Westbere. I have some records of rarer species, which are not seen on a regular basis but which turn up occasionally. I am sure many villagers could also contribute to this list.

Breeding Bird Species of the Area

Little Grebe occurs in the winter in small numbers; one or two pairs probably breed;

Great Crested Grebe common breeding species;

Cormorant non-breeding visitor (breeds at Collard’s Lake);

Bittern occasionally seen in the winter; present in summer further east in valley;

Little Egret non-breeding summer visitor;

Grey Heron breeds Trenley Park Woods;

Mute Swan regular breeding species;

Greylag Goose regular breeding species;

Canada Goose scarce breeding species;

Gadwall scarce breeding species on Westbere Lake;

Mallard regular breeding species;

Shoveler mainly winter visitor; one-two pairs possibly breed;

Tufted Duck mainly winter visitor; scarce breeding species on Westbere Lake;

Marsh Harrier regularly seen; occasionally breeds in area;

Sparrowhawk regularly seen; several pairs probably breed;

Kestrel regularly seen; several pairs probably breed; Hobby regularly seen in summer; may occasionally breed;

Pheasant regularly seen; several pairs probably breed;

Water Rail regular breeding species on Westbere Lake;

Moorhen common breeding species;

Coot common breeding species;

Common Tern non-breeding summer visitor;

Feral Pigeon regular breeding species;

Stock Dove regular breeding species around Westbere Lake;

Wood Pigeon common breeding species;

Collared Dove common breeding species;

Turtle Dove summer visitor; scarce breeding species;

Cuckoo summer visitor; scarce breeding species;

Tawny Owl regular breeding species;

Swift present in the summer; possibly breeds in Fordwich/ Sturry;

Kingfisher scarce breeding species on Westbere Lakes/ River Stour;

Green Woodpecker regular breeding species;

Great Spotted Woodpecker regular breeding species;

Sand Martin seen on passage;

Swallow regular breeding species;

House Martin may breed locally;

Grey Wagtail breeds by River Stour in Sturry;

Pied Wagtail scarce breeding species;

Wren common breeding species;

Dunnock common breeding species;

Robin common breeding species;

Nightingale scarce breeding species;

Blackbird common breeding species;

Song Thrush regular breeding species; Mistle Thrush regular breeding species;

Cetti’s Warbler common breeding species;

Grasshopper Warbler rare breeding species around Westbere Lake;

Sedge Warbler common breeding species;

Reed Warbler common breeding species;

Lesser Whitethroat regular breeding species;

Whitethroat regular breeding species;

Garden Warbler common breeding species;

Blackcap common breeding species;

Chiffchaff common breeding species;

Willow Warbler scarce breeding species around Westbere Lake;

Bearded Tit occurs in winter in small numbers; may still breed in the area;

Long-tailed Tit common breeding species;

Blue Tit common breeding species;

Great Tit common breeding species;

Jay regular breeding species;

Magpie common breeding species;

Jackdaw common breeding species;

Rook common breeding species;

Carrion Crow common breeding species;

Starling common breeding species;

House Sparrow common breeding species;

Chaffinch common breeding species;

Greenfinch common breeding species;

Goldfinch common breeding species;

Linnet scarce breeding species;

Bullfinch regular breeding species;

Reed Bunting common breeding species. (courtesy Sue Morton, Westbere, 2009)