United Kingdom Ramsar wetland
Wicken Fen
223 bird species recorded; the most from April to May.
Dr Border at English Wikipedia · Public domain
This month here
129 species in January.126 species in February.149 species in March.179 species in April.177 species in May.141 species in June.153 species in July.160 species in August.159 species in September.152 species in October.131 species in November.127 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
223 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 223Speciesrecorded more than once
- 116Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 137,676Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 14Raptors
- 5Owls
- 38Waders
- 16Gulls & seabirds
- 37Ducks & geese
- 14Herons, ibises & grebes
- 2Storks & cranes
- 75Songbirds
- 22Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 223 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
- Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
Owls5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
Waders38 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisVU
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- American golden ploverPluvialis dominica
- Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
Gulls & seabirds16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- FulmarFulmarus glacialis
- Little TernSternula albifrons
Ducks & geese37 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Ross's GooseAnser rossii
- Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Snow gooseAnser caerulescens
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
- SmewMergellus albellus
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Cape ShelduckTadorna cana
- Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
Herons, ibises & grebes14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Songbirds75 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Great titParus major
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Willow TitPoecile montanus
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Shore LarkEremophila alpestris
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
Other birds22 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- CootFulica atra
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- European SwiftApus apus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from April to May.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan7°/1°55 mm
- Feb8°/1°48 mm
- Mar10°/2°47 mm
- Apr14°/4°40 mm
- May17°/7°56 mm
- Jun20°/10°65 mm
- Jul22°/12°66 mm
- Aug22°/12°69 mm
- Sep19°/10°46 mm
- Oct15°/7°67 mm
- Nov10°/4°62 mm
- Dec7°/2°60 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Wicken Fen.
Nature reserve in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Wicken Fen is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in United Kingdom.
223 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 137,676 open records.
The most recorded are the Lesser Black-backed Gull, the Common Wood Pigeon and the Carrion Crow.
68 species come for the summer, 43 for the winter and 5 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, European Turtle Dove and Red-footed Falcon.
The most species are recorded from April to May.
Get there and watch
- Official informationAccess, hours and rules from those who manage the place.Official site↗
- Wicken Fen Wild Campingcampsite · 6.3 km · 14 within 10 km
- Rose Cottageplace to stay · 0.1 km · 29 within 10 km
- Sohamnearest town · 4.1 km in a straight line
- London Stansted Airport (STN)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 48 km in a straight lineCar hire at STN airport (London, Essex)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 13bird hides within 6 kmRoger Clarke Hide, Brett's Hide, West Mere Hide and 10 more
- 11marked trails within 4 kmRothschild Way, Fen Rivers Way (Cambridge to Ely), Soham Millennium Walk (Blue Route) and 8 more
- 3visitor centres within 6 kmWicken Fen Visitor Centre, Kingfishers Bridge NR, Classroom & Education Centre
- 1viewpoints within 5 km
- 20car parks within 3 km
- 3restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 14campsites within 10 kmWicken Fen Wild Camping, Fenland Retreats, Chittering Park Caravan Site and 11 more
- 29places to stay within 10 kmRose Cottage, G's Hostel, The Rosery Hotel and 26 more
- observation towers within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Wicken Fen.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas5 mountains within 25 kmWandlebury Hill74 m · 18 kmLittle Trees Hill74 m · 19 kmMaidscross Hill · 20 kmRivey Hill112 m · 22 kmRowley's Hill50 m · 25 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Wicken Fen
United Kingdom
- 82Birdyas Score
- 223Species
- 116Migrants
- 8Threatened
Abberton Reservoir
United Kingdom · 67 km
- 88Birdyas Score
- 261Species
- 122Migrants
- 14Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q7998320) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 137,676 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
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Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit