Apex Park
Location | Burnham on Sea, UK
Apex Leisure and Wildlife park is situated between the towns of Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea.
This 42 acre site with its 3.5 acre man-made lake provides various leisure activities as well as opportunities to see wildlife. It is designated as a County Wildlife Site.
Various habitats can be found here including the lake, hedgerows, copses, reed beds and wild flower meadows. Just beyond the park is the Brue Estuary which is within Bridgwater Bay, an area of international importance for wintering wildfowl and waders.
Lakes, ditches and wonderful wildlife habitats attract birds such as kingfishers and herons 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 Apex 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.
Gray Heron
Gray herons are unmistakeable: tall, with long legs, a long beak and grey, black and white feathering.
They grow up to 1m high in length with a wingspan up to 6ft in length!
Grey herons are social birds and you will often spot them standing still for long periods with an upright stance, often on a single leg.
Did you Know: A Female Heron is called a 'Hen" and a Male Heron is called a 'Cock'.
Click below to hear what a Gray Heron Call sounds like.
Canada Geese
The Canada Goose is historically known as the “giant” Canada goose and are known to be the largest geese in the world.
The female is called a goose and the male is a gander. The young are know as goslings..
Originally from North America the Geese fly in a "V Shape" flock and migrate south in winter time. Did you know that the oldest goose in the wild was said to be 30 years and four months old
Click below to hear what a Canada Goose sounds like.
Coot
The Coot is originally from South America and its call is known to be loud and noisy to communicate with each other and to discourage any predators.
Both the male and female care for their eggs and the young and around 8-10 eggs are laid by females at once!
Did you know that Coots rely on leg power to help them take off by running along the surface of the water in a process called “spattering”.
Click below to hear what a Coot Call sounds like.
Cetti's Warbler
A small bird, Cetti's Warbler (pronounced chetty) is a bird and can be very difficult to see.
It is a bird that is most likely to be heard, rather than seen
Although native to Europe, it is not native to the UK and Cetti's Warblers were first recorded in the U.K in 1961, but can be found as far as Pakistan!
Like most birds they like to eat insects.
Your best chances to see this bird is in the bushes and trees of the park.
Click below to hear what a Cetti's Warbler Call sounds like.
Redshank
The Redshank is a keen traveller. It is a migratory bird in nature, the redshank is seen in the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. In the winter, they travel from the north towards the south.
They are most recognisable by their long legs. there are approximately 1 million-3.5 million common redshanks in the world.
Common redshanks have been known to fly around in large, mixed flocks. They roost and forage in flocks in order to protect themselves. The larger flocks can consist of around 100 birds at a time.
Did You Know: The Redshank is known to live up to 27 years!
Click below to hear what a Redshank 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.