This page was updated on Monday, 24-Apr-2023 14:32:01 BST

WICK COUNTRY PARK WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS - April 12th 2023

This month's wildlife walk took place on Wednesday 12th April. We set off from home in bright sunshine but by the time we got to the park it was already cloudy and 10 minutes into the walk, it absolutely poured down with hail mixed in too. It looked like we might have to abandon the walk but a few minutes later the sun came out and we had an enjoyable mornings walk from then on. Some of the wildlife, normally tricky to see, was quite noticeable, Wrens were very active singing from many locations and one bird was seen with nesting material in its beak along the boardwalk. Another bird, that is sometimes hard to see is the Chiffchaff, but we saw several very well indeed, including one catching insects from the top of a small tree. It seemed at times that every other bush had Chiffchaffs feeding and singing. Resident birds such as Robin and Blue Tit were also very active and we can assume that many species are in the process of breeding. The theme of surprises from 2022 continued with a pair of Great Crested Grebes seen feeding at the lake! Wouldn't it be fantastic if they bred in the park this year? Some of you will recall that after last month's walk, our bird list stood at 69 and I contemplated what bird might bring the total to 70 - well Great Crested Grebe is not a bad species to reach this total. We also saw our first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell. We also spotted a very lazy squirrel sunbathing on a branch and did not want to move at all - quite entertaining. Full details of our sightings are below:

The next walk will take place on Wednesday 17th May at 10.30am but I will remind you all nearer the date.

Martin Singleton

Remaining dates for 2023

  • May 17th
  • June 21st
  • July 19th
  • August 16th
  • September 13th
  • October 18th
  • November 15th
  • December 13th

Summary of sightings

Birds - 26 Species

Common Name Scientific Name Date Total Count Notes
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 12/04/2023 5 Only a few wandering over the park today
Canada Goose Branta canadensis 12/04/2023 2 Just two birds at the lake
Carrion Crow Corvus corone 12/04/2023 6 A few noisy birds around the park
Common Blackbird Turdus merula 12/04/2023 3 Three males seen in the hedges
Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 12/04/2023 2 Male and female seen from the pavilion car park and then below the feeders
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 12/04/2023 10 At least ten birds seen or heard, lots in the park at the moment
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 12/04/2023 10 At least ten birds seen or heard, lots in the park at the moment
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 12/04/2023 1 A male flew past the pavilion and over the large mound at the end of the walk
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 12/04/2023 2 At the lake
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 12/04/2023 2 One overhead along the car park road and one over the pavilion
Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus 12/04/2023 12 Usual guess of how many are loafing around the park
Dunnock Prunella modularis 12/04/2023 2 One near the bridge and one in the pavilion garden
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 12/04/2023 3 A few heard around the park but not in full voice yet
Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 12/04/2023 13 Lots of very active birds around the Park today
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 12/04/2023 4 All around the boardwalk area
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 12/04/2023 1 Just one at the lake
Eurasian Magpie Pica pica 12/04/2023 6 Usual birds foraging in the fields
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis 12/04/2023 1 A single bird seen and heard in the field behind the play area - a good sighting
Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 12/04/2023 7 Lots of birds seen and heard today - one with nesting material on the boardwalk
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 12/04/2023 3 A few seen in the hedges
European Robin Erithacus rubecula 12/04/2023 12 Active and noisy in the hedgerows
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 12/04/2023 2 Another surprise - two at the lake, probably a pair. Will they breed here??
Great Tit Parus major 12/04/2023 2 Two heard singing in the hedges
House Sparrow Passer domesticus 12/04/2023 4 At least four, probably more, just inside the main gate
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 12/04/2023 1 Juvenile bird over the pavilion at the end of the walk
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 12/04/2023 2 Two birds seen in the field as we emerged from the boardwalk
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 12/04/2023 5 At the lake


Butterflies - 1 Species


Common Name Scientific Name Date Total Count Notes
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae 12/04/2023 1 Our first butterfly of the year - at the back of the lake

Mammals - 1 Species


Common Name Scientific Name Date Total Count Notes
Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 12/04/2023 1 Just one lazing on a branch in the sun