Community Corner

Hidden Gems Of Hartford And Tolland Counties

There's a Hidden Gem tucked inside the venue for the state's major cross country meets.

Chris Dehnel's profile picture
Chris Dehnel, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
The aviary at Wickham Park in Manchester is the latest Hidden Gem.
The aviary at Wickham Park in Manchester is the latest Hidden Gem. (Chris Dehnel/Patch )

MANCHESTER, CT — Each November, a lot of attention is given to the famed and challenging cross country course at Manchester's Wickham Park, which hosts several championship meets. We at Patch figured this was a good time to point out a real Hidden Gem inside the park — the aviary.

Wickham Park is home to a variety of birds in addition to the natural wildlife in the park. The birds include turkeys, pheasants, peafowl, owls, waterfowl and "exotic" chickens.

The park also shelters turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, Canada geese, and a great horned owl. All migratory birds are non-releasable to the wild because of injuries.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

All the birds are kept in the park's aviary where the public can view and learn about them. It is located adjacent to the park's main playground and nearby nature center.

Bird food is available for purchase in vending machines located near the middle of the aviary. It costs 25 cents per handful, so bring quarters.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

____

The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path, all located within Hartford and Tolland counties. Do you have a favorite "hidden gem" in the area that you wish to see featured in this column? Email your ideas to tim.jensen@patch.com.

Other columns in this series:

To register for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Manchester