WICK COUNTRY PARK WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS - December 16th 2022
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Our final wildlife walk of 2022 took place on Wednesday 14th December. Despite the cold, it was nice and sunny and quite pleasant being out and about - if you were well wrapped up of course! The year of surprises continued, with yet another new bird for the list - Common Snipe! This was spotted from the bridge by Richard, who saw it feeding in the long grass around a planted tree. We wandered across the field to confirm the ID and saw it fly off towards the large mound where it disappeared into the long grass. An unusual sighting for the Park and for Wickford too. In addition to this, we added another wader to the park list - Northern Lapwing - with at least four birds seen flying overhead, two of which were seen really well in the sun. To compliment the waders, the park is currently home to lots of Redwings feeding on the berries and we saw at least 30 feeding and flying around, again giving great close views at times. Also, very active were Robins and Goldfinches, with many of each seen well. Robins are very confiding in this cold weather, virtually landing around our feet at times. The lake is completely iced over at the moment, with many of the birds such as the geese having gone off to find ice free water, but we saw a nice flock of Black-headed Gulls there, and a couple of Moorhens landing on the ice and skidding all over the place, very comical and entertaining. A very good ending to the year and who knows what we will see next year - as they say, anything can turn up anywhere!
Please scroll down to see the details of the day's sightings
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Dates for 2023 will be published shortly, and they will also be available on the News Page.
Martin Singleton
Birds - 21 Species
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Date | Total Count | Notes |
| Black-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus | 14/12/2022 | 21 | A few flying around the park with a larger flock on the ice at the lake |
| Carrion Crow | Corvus corone | 14/12/2022 | 4 | A couple around the pavilion car park and two more on the grass |
| Common Blackbird | Turdus merula | 14/12/2022 | 6 | A few around the park feeding on berries |
| Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | 14/12/2022 | 4 | Two at the side of the lake joined by two more comically landing on the ice |
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | 14/12/2022 | 1 | A great spot by Richard. Seen feeding in long grass then flying off to the large mound. A real surprise. |
| Common Wood Pigeon | Columba palumbus | 14/12/2022 | 11 | Usual birds around the park |
| Dunnock | Prunella modularis | 14/12/2022 | 1 | In the pavilion car park |
| Eurasian Blue Tit | Cyanistes caeruleus | 14/12/2022 | 4 | Just a few seen or heard today |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | 14/12/2022 | 1 | In the pavilion car park |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius | 14/12/2022 | 2 | Near the picnic table area |
| Eurasian Magpie | Pica pica | 14/12/2022 | 9 | Several around the park today |
| Eurasian Wren (British) | Troglodytes troglodytes indigenus | 14/12/2022 | 3 | All heard briefly singing |
| European Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | 14/12/2022 | 14 | Probably an undercount, several seen in the hedges and overhead. Very active. |
| European Greenfinch | Chloris chloris | 14/12/2022 | 1 | One spotted by Lorraine behind the pavilion |
| European Herring Gull | Larus argentatus | 14/12/2022 | 2 | At least two overhead |
| European Robin | Erithacus rubecula | 14/12/2022 | 10 | Lots of friendly birds today out searching for food |
Fieldfare |
Turdus pilaris | 14/12/2022 | 1 | Only one in the small copse near the bridge |
Great Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax carbo | 14/12/2022 | 6 | Overhead - probably searching for ice free lakes |
Great Tit |
Parus major | 14/12/2022 | 3 | One near the main gates and two in the pavilion car park |
Northern Lapwing |
Vanellus vanellus | 14/12/2022 | 4 | Another surprise with two singles overhead and then two more seen well near the large mound |
Redwing |
Turdus iliacus | 14/12/2022 | 30 | Lots of birds in the park feeding on berries and flying around. At least 30 seen but probably more in the park. |