Bird Survey Information

Montefiore Woodland Bird SurveysMontefiore Woodland is home to a number of resident woodland birds.

All year round you can expect to see: Wrens, Robin,  Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock/Hedge Sparrow, Black Bird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and of course the Ring-necked Parakeet. All these can be found feeding in the woodland and some may even breed here using the nest boxes attached to the trees.

During the Spring and Autumn months you may be lucky enough to see visiting migrant birds who stop off in the woodland to feed before continuing on their long journey. These include Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Firecrest and during the winter Fieldfare, Redwing and very occasionally Woodcock.

We’d love to know if you’ve spotted other species of bird in the woodland.

Our thanks to Keith Ross (Ramsgate Birds) for his time and effort!

You can report your sightings to montefiorewoodland@gmail.com

Sightings of Birds 2024:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch Saturday 27th Jan 2024

Woodpigeon 2
Feral Pigeon 5
Robin 1
Wren 1
Blue tit 2
Carrion Crow 2
House Sparrow 9
Dunnock 2
Jay 1
Ring-necked parakeet 2
Great-tit
Magpie

Sightings of Birds 2023:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch 28th Jan 2023
Woodpigeon 2
Feral Pigeon 9
Stock Dove 2
Blackbird 2
Robin 1
Wren 1
Blue tit 2
Herring Gull 12 (member of community fed them)
Carrion Crow 2
House Sparrow 3
Dunnock 1

April 23
Plus:
ChiffChaff (heard singing)
Great Tit
Jay
Wren
Song Thrush (heard singing seen in July)
Blackcap (heard singing)
Ringneck Parakeets

September 23
Long-tail Tits

November 23
Woodcock (spotted in local garden and left there to recuperate after crows attacked it)

Sightings of Birds 2022:

Woodpigeon
Feral Pigeon
Stock Dove
Blackbird
Robin
Wren
Blue tit
Great tit
Ring-neck Parakeet
Carrion Crow
Goldfinch
Blackcap
Jay
Chiff-Chaff

Sightings of Birds 2021:

Woodpigeon
Feral Pigeon
Blackbird
Robin
Wren
Ring-neck Parakeet
Goldfinch
Goldcrest
Blackcap
ChiffChaff
Jay

Sightings of Birds 2020:

Blackbird (male + female)
Blue tit
Great tit
Long-tailed tit
Woodpigeon
Goldfinch (+ possibly Linnets)
Wren
House Sparrow
Greater Spotted Woodpecker
Chiff Chaff
Blackcap
Jay
Ringed-neck Parakeets
Treecreeper (reported sighting early September(

Sightings of Birds 2019:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 26th January, 2019
A smaller count today, possibly as a result of less eyes watching…? However, thanks to Alan for informing us of his sightings:

2 Blackbird (male + female)
2 Blue tit
3+ Great tit
2 Long-tailed tit
4+ Woodpigeon
6 Goldfinch (+ possibly Linnets)
1 Wren
3+ House Sparrow

Additional 2019 sightings:
A Kestrel and unidentified raptor have been seen flying over the woodland.
Chiffchaff
Chaffinch
Firecrest
Song Thrush
Blackcap
Parakeet
Robin
Feral Pigeon
Magpie
House Sparrow
28th December lower end near Synagogue – WAXWING!

Sightings of Birds 2018:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 27th January, 2018
63 birds of 12 species seen:

4 Parakeet,
2 Blackbird
4 Blue tit
2 Great tit
3 Robin
3 Long-tailed tit
15 Feral Pigeon
3 Woodpigeon
8 Magpies
11 Goldfinch

Thanks to the 12 members who participated in our work party and RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch count this morning, cool but glorious sunshine and at least the wind had dropped today!
A productive work party followed the count.

Additional 2018 sightings
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Crow
Ring-neck Parakeet
Chiff Chaff
Song Thrush
Stock Dove
Jay
Green Woodpecker

Sightings of Birds 2017:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 28th January, 2017
Fortunately, the weather was considerably milder than recent days much to the relief of the 7 hardy members who met for the RSPB’s largest national survey in the world in the clearing this morning! We suitably placed ourselves in the four corners and clearing for the count, following which w re-convened to collate the results which were as follows:

The results of Montefiore Woodland’s Big Garden Bird Watch count was 38 birds of 14 Species!
Regarding Big Garden Bird Watch final count today, we saw:

5 Parakeets,
2 Starlings
2 Blackbirds
3 Bluetit
1 Great tit
2 Collared Dove
2 Robin
1 Long-tailed tit
8 Feral Pigeon
1 Woodpigeon
2 Wren
1 Jay
2 Magpies
6 Goldfinch
Plus:
3 squirrel

The sunshine emerged shining winter warmth on members and new buds and even catkins are appearing.
Gerry had an interesting find of another tarmac path under some of the undergrowth near where we hope to create a Chris Packham wildlife washing up bowl pond! We will investigate this further during our future work parties.

Additional 2017 sightings
Goldcrest
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Chiffchaff
Song Thrush

Sightings of Birds 2016:

Additional 2016 sightings
Goldfinch
Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Jay
Magpie
RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 30th January, 2016
Fortunately only the one shower during this morning’s count.The results of Montefiore Woodland’s Big Garden Bird Watch count was 45 birds of 12 Species!
4 Robin
8 Blue Tit
6 Great Tit
3 Ring-necked Parakeet
4 Blackbird
8 Wood Pigeon
3 Collared Dove
2 Carrion Crow
2 Wren
2 Song Thrush
2 Stock Dove
1 Chaffinch

Plus:
3 squirrel

The woodland is looking good with its super new paths (thanks – Dave!) A few daffodils are in bud, some violets in flower, as are the vanilla-scented Winter Heliotrope and the odd primrose! Surprisingly even Cow Parsley and Alexander are beginning to bloom! The mild December has certainly encouraged the spring flowers!

Additional 2016 sightings
Greenfinch
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Cuckoo (heard)
Swallow (overhead)
Swift (overhead)

Sightings of Birds 2015:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 24th January, 2015
Final Big Garden Bird Watch count was 36 birds of 14 Species! Thanks to all volunteers (young and not so young) for their help with this count:
2 Robin
5 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
5 Ring-necked Parakeet (prospecting nest boxes – fortunately they have metal hole protectors)
2 Blackbird
2 Wood Pigeon
5 Feral Pigeon
4 Collared Dove
2 Great-spotted Woodpecker
1 Jay
2 Carrion Crow
2 Wren
1 Song Thrush
1 Magpie

Plus:
1 squirrel
1 rat

Good to see the woodland looking good and the daffodils beginning to poke their heads through not to mention the vanilla-scented Winter Heliotrope in full bloom!

Additional 2016 sightings
Greenfinch
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Cuckoo (heard)
Swallow (overhead)
Swift (overhead)

Sightings of Birds 2014:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Sunday 26th January, 2014
Robin
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Ring-necked Parakeet
Blackbird
Goldfinch
Additional 2014 sightings
Great-Spotted Woodpecker
Redwing
Magpie
Wren
Dunnock
Wood Pigeon
Green Woodpecker
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Coal – tit
Spotted Flycatcher – May
Willow Warbler – song heard near wall entrance
Swift

Sightings of Birds 2013:

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch – Saturday 25th January, 2013
Blackbird 8
Song Thrush 4
Mistle Thrush 1
Goldfinch 3
Robin 3
Dunnock 1 (Hedge Sparrow)
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 4
Wren 1
Wood Pigeon 29
Collared Dove 2
Magpie 2
Jay 4
Carrion Crow 2
Green Woodpecker 1
Ring-necked Parakeets 4
Woodcock 1
Additional 2013 sightings
Long-tailed Tit
Goldcrest
Greenfinch
Firecrest
Lesser Whitethroat
Spotted Flycatcher
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Carrion Crow
Tawney Owl (heard)

Sightings of Birds 2012:

Blackbird
Song thrush
Mistle thrush
Carrion Crow
Jay
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
Collar Dove
Ring Necked Parakeet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dunnock
Robin
Wren
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
House Sparrow
Starling
Spotted Flycatcher
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler