A wander around Warnham

I had a fantastic day guiding Jennifer around Warnham Local Nature Reserve near Horsham. She was keen for a gentle few hours of birding within a short drive of her hotel and Warnham was the ideal venue.

Nuthatch

Grey Heron

We started out in the new Discovery Hub, where we enjoyed fantastic views of two Common Terns, including a juvenile splashing happily into the surface of the mill pond. In the distance, a female Mandarin Duck worked her way through the lillies, before a Kingfisher flew along the edge of the reeds near the hide...

juvenile Greenfinch

Grey Herons and a feather!

The feeding stations were an exciting watch, with repeated visits from a Nuthatch and a Marsh Tit, and a memorable appearance from a gorgeous male Bullfinch. A Song Thrush paraded around in front of one of the screens and we also enjoyed watching the young Greenfinches and Goldfinches, a couple of young Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and plenty of Blue Tits and Great Tits coming and going.

male Bullfinch

juvenile male Great Spotted Woodpecker

At the dragonfly ponds, a couple of Reed Warblers chuntered and stirred in the reeds but only afforded fleeting glimpses. Looking again at the lake, we enjoyed the antics of at least eight Grey Herons, a nesting pair of Great Crested Grebes, several Gadwall and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Then the Kingfisher flew past again, but still wasn't stopping!

Common Tern

Tufted Ducks