Thank you to Gary for his report and photos.
What a beautiful sparkling day to return to Pulborough after a month away, and to welcome me back a male bullfinch in the trees next to the visitor centre positively glowed in the sunshine.
Nettleys hide looked a good bet to start the day, and so it was. A water rail was squealing from the rushes and luckily it decided to root around in full view in the small pool on the left; nearby three snipe were probing inconspicuously in the frosty ground. On the mostly frozen main pools the teal, wigeon, shoveler, pintail and shelduck were concentrated in the ice-free areas. A green sandpiper decided it had too much company and flew towards the river stor. However, the godwits seemed to have deserted the site.
On the walk to the Hanger, good views of treecreeper, redwing and goldcrest were had, and even though it was cold and frosty, birdsong was more in evidence with great tits, robins and even a goldcrest joining in. To add to the spring-like feel primroses were in bloom and a bumble bee buzzed past. The Hanger didn't disappoint with the juvenile peregrine on show in the usual tree devouring what looked like a teal (not much left to tell though).
A young visitor was ecstatic that he had seen the aerial equivalent of a cheetah; the fastest bird on earth. For me however, the best bird was the smallest British bird, a goldcrest barely two feet away. Five buzzards, a kestrel and a sparrowhawk completed the raptor count.
West Mead had some very obliging snipe, and way in the distance seven black-tailed godwits showed that they have not quite deserted.
Leaving the car park a green woodpecker and mistle thrush rounded off the day. But wait a minute, its Tuesday and it didn't rain – result!