Southchurch Park
Location | Southend on Sea, UK
Southchurch Park is popular all year round, with over 12 hectares of nature to explore and a wide range of activities for families of all sizes.
Various habitats can be found here including the lake, hedgerows, copses, reed beds and a wild flower garden.
Lakes, ditches and wonderful wildlife habitats attract birds such as Swans and Cormorants as well as provide frogs, newts, fish and dragonflies a healthy habitat to thrive. The colourful flowers provide nectar for insects and the reeds and bulrushes provide shelter for nesting birds.
Meet The Wildlife!
Swan
Swans are close relatives with geese and ducks. They live for approximately 20-30 years and are the largest members of the Waterfowl family.
The Type of Swan that can be found in Southchurch Park is called Mute Swan which is the elegant bird of Russian ballets and European fairy tales
A male swan is called a Cob, and a female swan is called a Pen. A baby swan is called a Cygnet.
Did You Know: A Swan has up to 25,000 feathers and can fly up to 95 Km/h!
Click below to hear what a Swan Call sounds like.
Male Mallard Duck
Male and female Mallard Ducks look very different most males have a green head of feathers where females are typically brown.
Male Mallards don't quack they produce two tone calls so if you hear a Quack its likely to be a female.
A male Mallard is called a Drake, and a female Mallard is called a Hen. A baby Mallard is called a Duckling.
Did you Know: When mallards migrate they fly up to 90 Km/h and at an average altitude of 10,000ft!
Click below to hear what a Male Mallard Ducks Call sounds like.
Female Brown Mallard Duck
The Female Brown Mallard duck known as a 'Hen', can often be confused with an adolescent male Mallard Duck.
It is with female Mallard Ducks that you will hear a 'Quack'.
Like their male counterparts Mallard Ducks can be found in almost any wetland habitat. Unlike other species of Ducks, Mallard Ducks dabble on the water and dip their heads to find food.
Did You Know: A Female Brown Mallard Duck can lay anywhere between 1- 13 eggs!
Click below to hear what a Female Brown Mallard Ducks Call sounds like.
Cormorant
Cormorants live in coastal areas or near lakes and rivers.
Cormorants, like most waterfowl, eat fish and shellfish. They are expert swimmers and can dive up to 100 feet deep to catch fish.
Did you know they can stay underwater for more than one minute at a time!
When they hatch cormorant mothers and fathers take turns sitting on their eggs.
Click below to hear what a Cormorant Call sounds like.
Magpie
A Magpie is often known as a bird attracted to shiny things, and they are! They can live up to 22 years and can be found anywhere from Ireland to Japan.
Magpies are omnivorous birds. They eat young birds and eggs, small mammals, insects, acorns, grain, and other vegetable substances.
Did you know: The magpie is believed not only to be among the most intelligent of birds but among the most intelligent of all animals and are able to recognise themselves in the mirror which makes them one of only a few species to possess this capability.
Click below to hear what a Magpie Call sounds like.
Woodland Pigeon
The Common wood pigeon is a large member of the dove and pigeon family and can live up to 17 years.
The Pigeon can lay up to 2 eggs when hatched, the baby Pigeons are called 'Squabs'. Unlike most birds, both sexes of pigeons produce "milk" to feed their chicks.
The body feathers of pigeons have very dense, fluffy bases, are attached loosely into the skin, and drop out easily. This adaptation possibly serves as a predator avoidance mechanism as large numbers of feathers fall out in the attacker's mouth if the pigeon is snatched, helping the bird to escape.
Click below to hear what a Pigeon Call sounds like.
Herring Gull
The European herring gull is one of the best-known of all gulls along the shores of Western Europe, it has a long life span of up to 49 years!
These Gulls lay between 2-4 eggs when hatched called 'Chicks'
European herring gulls frequently drop shelled prey from a height to break the shell. In addition, they have been observed using pieces of bread as bait with which to catch goldfish.
Did You Know: European herring gulls frequently rinse food items in water in an attempt to clean them or render them more palatable before swallowing.
Click below to hear what a Herring Gull Call sounds like.