Sixteen of us assembled in the reserve car park for the walk at Warnham Local Nature Reserve.  On this occasion the Visitors Centre was closed as it was having new windows fitted, and as a result the usual entrance fee was not being charged.  The main Mill Pond was fairly quiet bird-wise on our arrival, with many Tufted Duck, Mallard, a lone female Pochard, Moorhen and Coot, and some Black Headed Gulls.  As we watched, a couple of Little Egret flew around and landed again in the reeds.  Walking out on the reserve we started to see Robins and Dunnock.  Arriving at the first viewing screen there were numerous Siskin, Chaffinch and Blue and Great Tit.  At the Woodpecker hide we were able to see even more Siskin and eventually two Redpoll appeared and a Nuthatch came in for some sunflower seed.  It was very encouraging to see quite a few Greenfinches feeding alongside the other birds.

The rest of the hides added a few Cormorants to our list, sitting statue like in the distant trees, and also a Jay.  A Buzzard and Red Kite flew over in quick succession, and then a Grey Heron.  There were some Redwing perched in some tall trees further along the trail.  Following the Boardwalk loop that is currently open, we could hear a Song Thrush singing and we at last caught up with it for a fleeting view in the binoculars.  The Sandpiper hide only yielded a Wren at close quarters, a brief view of a Kestrel, and a Goldcrest in the conifers nearby.

We then re-traced our steps and added a Great Spotted Woodpecker at close range on the feeders, and a charming Long Tailed Tit amongst the other birds.   Back at the Discovery Centre more Pochard were on view, and some Herring Gulls and a lone Lesser Black Backed Gull had joined the throng.  It had started to rain, and as the three of us remaining sat sipping coffee from our flasks, a Kingfisher flashed by and perched in a waterside tree-a fitting end to a very enjoyable walk bringing our total to 40 species seen during the course of the morning.