Bird Watching Sites

From Croydon Birders

Bird Watching Sites in Croydon.

[of the main Croydon bird watching sites] There are several sites in Croydon that can be rewarding for the birdwatcher. Others may not hold any birds of high interest, but they are still indicators of Croydon’s avian heritage.

The sites listed here cover a wide range of habitats. The list is far from exhaustive and there are many other sites in Croydon where birds can be found. Participants in our surveys have recorded the birds at sites such as Stambourne Woodland Walk, Brickfields Meadow and Heavers Meadow in the north of the borough. These, along with South Norwood Country Park and South Norwood Lake, are oases in the urban surroundings.

Further south, there are many wooded areas including places such as Littleheath Wood, Purley Beeches and Sanderstead Plantation. Places such as Queens Road Cemetery and Park Hill Park can also be very good for birds. In urbanised settings, even small green spaces can be productive at times. One area not mentioned so far is New Addington. This is not because there are no suitable areas, there have been some very interesting sightings from there, it is just that the information is patchy. Likewise, we have few records from the London Wildlife Trust reserve of Hutchinsons Bank.

Go out for yourself and see what is around. Not just at the sites given here. You may find somewhere of your own to watch the birds. After all, there are many parks, woods, golf courses and other open spaces in Croydon, including the town centre.

Information about the species recorded at each site has mainly been taken from our surveys, supplemented with a few additional records. As already mentioned, some sites receive better coverage than others and it is apparent that there are some gaps in our information due to under-recording. Anyone who has information that can add to our knowledge is welcome to submit records or notes to the RSPB Croydon Local Group, either by post or by e-mail to environment(at)croydon-rspb.org.uk.