This page was updated on Tuesday, 05-Mar-2024 18:06:48 GMT

WICK COUNTRY PARK WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS - February 27th 2024

Our latest walk of 2024 took place on Wednesday 27th February, having been postponed from the previous week due to rain. We were lucky with the weather this time, sunny with light winds and almost spring like. Small birds were very active with good numbers of Blue Tit, Great Tit and Robin seen and heard all around the park. The good weather helped a couple of birds of prey get airborne, and we had good views of Buzzard and Sparrowhawk using the same thermal to circle around. Lots of birdsong in the park with quite a few noisey little Wren singing from various locations. A nice Jay was seen in the teasel field and on the lake, we had a very smart Heron plus a returning Great Crested Grebe, along with the usual water birds. Overall, a very pleasant walk with lots to see. Full details of our sightings are below:

Photo Gallery - 27th February 2024

Here is a link to a few of Martin Singleton's photos taken mainly at the lake. The Grebe in particular is looking very smart. I've also included a couple of the Wick-Ed Gardeners working very hard! Gallery

Remaining dates for 2024

  • March 20th
  • April 17th
  • May 22nd
  • June 12th
  • July 17th
  • August 21st
  • September 18th
  • October 16th
  • November 20th
  • December 11th

Summary of sightings

Birds - 26 Species



Common Name Scientific Name Date Total Count Trip Notes
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 27/02/2024 3 A few flying overhead
Canada Goose Branta canadensis 27/02/2024 8 At the lake
Carrion Crow Corvus corone 27/02/2024 5 Around the park
Common Blackbird Turdus merula 27/02/2024 1 Only one seen
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 27/02/2024 1 Overhead from the pavilion pond
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 27/02/2024 5 At the lake
Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus 27/02/2024 31 Usual estimate of birds around the park
Dunnock Prunella modularis 27/02/2024 1 Only one heard at the back of the lake
Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 27/02/2024 19 Very active today getting ready for spring
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 27/02/2024 5 At the lake
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius 27/02/2024 1 In the teasel field
Eurasian Magpie Pica pica 27/02/2024 13 Quite a few active around the park
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 27/02/2024 1 Circling with the Buzzard above the pavilion pond
Eurasian Wren (British) Troglodytes troglodytes indigenus 27/02/2024 6 A good number heard singing today
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 27/02/2024 2 Just two in the hedges
European Greenfinch Chloris chloris 27/02/2024 5 Good to see reasonable numbers still in the park
European Herring Gull Larus argentatus 27/02/2024 1 One identified overhead
European Robin Erithacus rubecula 27/02/2024 18 Very active in the hedgerows
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 27/02/2024 1 Overhead near the lake
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 27/02/2024 1 Good to see at the lake - will they breed this year?
Great Tit Parus major 27/02/2024 5 Heard singing at several locations with a couple of sightings too
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 27/02/2024 1 At the lake stood in the "illegal" fishing swim in the reed bed
House Sparrow Passer domesticus 27/02/2024 6 Along the road to Fanton Hall with a couple singing near the main gate
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 27/02/2024 5 A few along Fanton Hall Road and in the pavilion car park
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 27/02/2024 9 At the lake
Redwing Turdus iliacus 27/02/2024 5 Flying over the field near the bridge

Mammals - 1 Species


Common Name Scientific Name Date Total Count Trip Notes
Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 27/02/2024 2 A couple in the hedgerows

Reptiles: cumulative record since September 2022

In addition to the above, I also set out details of reptiles we have seen in the park over the last few years. My own reptile recording software has somehow gone awry, so I have started to use some online software (the record pool) for this and so far, we have 3 records:
Record date Record time Species Lifestage Sex Quantity County Nearest town/City Grid ref Lat Lon
01/10/2023 11:00:00 Common lizard Adult unknown 1 Essex Basildon TQ75969167 51.5964 0.53916
27/07/2023 11:30:00 European pond terrapin Adult unknown 1 Essex Basildon TQ75979167 51.59642 0.53924
21/09/2022 11:00:00 Adder Adult male 1 Essex Basildon TQ75969169 51.59658 0.53909