Warnham LNR with the Ashdown Bird Group

 

Warnham LNR, Horsham, Sussex

Ashdown Bird Group

(5 members present)

 

Warnham LNR is a must-visit nature reserve, particularly in winter when conditions are harsh and food is scarce.  It is one of the best places in the county to see redpolls, siskins, brambling and reed buntings close up.  Our half-day session today targeted these four birds.

Our route took us from the Visitor Centre to the Woodpecker Hide, where we spent most of our time.   This hide is a photographer's delight, affording close-up views of the birds coming to and from the feeders.  

After that, we toured the reserve using the woodland paths and boardwalks.

Martin and I got caught up in a traffic jam on the way, and we arrived nearly half an hour after the others. By this time, they had seen all four target species. We soon made amends and only missed out on Redpoll.  

Our Target Species

• Alastair, Ian and John were the only ones to see the Redpolls at the feeders at the start of their visit.  In the picture below, the Redpoll shares the feeder with a female Siskin.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

After the early flurry, we did not see any more Redpolls while we were in the Woodpecker Hide.  

• The prize species only turned up sporadically.  This female Brambling was seen feeding at the cut-down tree trunk in front of us.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• There were no such problems with the Siskins; they were frequent visitors to the feeders.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• The Reed Buntings were very active, too!  The images below show male and female birds.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Other Birds at the Feeders by Woodpecker Hide.

A lot was going on at the feeders, and some of the highlights are posted below:-

• This lovely Nuthatch would grace any feeder.

 

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• As would this male Chaffinch.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• It's hard to ignore a Greenfinch!

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• Another local favourite is Long-tailed Tit.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• Even the humble Moorhen caught the eye today!

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• While all the interest was in the birds, the rats were busy feeding too.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

It was time to go out and about on the reserve with the millpond the obvious next attraction.

• The Great Crested Grebes grabbed the headlines with their courting routine.

 Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• On the outward journey through the trees, we saw our first Treecreeper of the day but were unable to get a photograph.  We were more fortunate on the return leg when two turned up.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

•  John spotted this Sparrowhawk high above us.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

There were a couple of signs that Spring is just around the corner.

• Two species of butterfly were seen as we did the rounds.  Ian spotted a lovely Brimstone, but it was too quick for us to get a photograph.  We were more fortunate with the Red Admiral sightings a little later.

 Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• One of the Black-headed Gulls was clearly going into summer plumage with a nearly fully formed black hood.

 Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

What a delightful couple of hours we had at this gem of a reserve.

Species list:
Name:	Count		Name:	Count
Black-headed Gull	1		Little Egret	25
Blackbird	2		Long-tailed Tit	26
Blue Tit	3		Magpie	27
Brambling	4		Mallard	28
Buzzard	5		Moorhen	29
Canada Goose	6		Mute Swan	30
Carrion Crow	7		Nuthatch	31
Chaffinch	8		Pheasant	32
Coal Tit	9		Pochard	33
Collared Dove	10		Red Kite	34
Coot	11		Reed Bunting	35
Cormorant	12		Robin	36
Dunnock	13		Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon	37
Egyptian Goose	14		Siskin	38
Goldfinch	15		Song Thrush	39
Great Crested Grebe	16		Sparrowhawk	40
Great Spotted Woodpecker	17		Starling	41
Great Tit	18		Stock Dove	42
Greenfinch	19		Teal	43
Grey Heron	20		Treecreeper	44
Herring Gull	21		Tufted Duck	45
Jay	22		Woodpigeon	46
Lesser Black-backed Gull	23		Wren	47
Lesser Redpoll	24
Today's species count = 47

2025 species count = 118

New Species:

118  Treecreeper