Warnham, Crawley and Nymans

A mild and grey day. With no strong local leads for Waxwings, I headed up to Warnham LNR, then to Crawley to see the Rose-coloured Starling and finally to Nymans.

A Moorhen walks on the melting ice at Warnham.

The woodland hide at Warnham was amazing. At times literally scores of birds were a feeding there including Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Moorhen, Siskin, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Robin, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Siskins

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Goldfinches

At the northern end of the lake the ice had melted, and I saw Pochard, Mallard, Shoveler, Greylag Goose and Grey Heron. On the ice a large number of gulls were roosting including Black-headed, Common, Herring, Lesser Black-backed and a first winter Caspian.

Pochard

Greylag

Low mist over the northern end of the lake

A short drive to Beachy Road Crawley and the Rose-coloured Starling was very easy to find. A lifetime first for me, my 423rd species.

Rose-coloured Starling.

Another short drive took me to Nymans. There was a lively flock of twenty or so Redwings in the field below the tree lined avenue. I have great luck in these gardens when looking for Firecrests, and this visit was no exception.

Firecrest