A linear walk from West Grinstead Station to Knepp Castle: birds seen included redstarts, redwings, starlings, black-headed gulls, jackdaws, cormorant, shoveler, mallards, coots, heron, canada geese, and buzzard.

From a public car park last Wednesday (9th December 2015) at this disused railway station, I walked south on the old railway line.

 One of the few places in Sussex where one can safely cross (under) the busy A272 road: watch out for cyclists though.

 Lots of robins before the first footpath off to the left leading towards the tiny village of West Grinstead

 Fine views to the South Downs and Chanctonbury Hill

 West Grinstead church.

 Click any picture to expand them.

 There was a flock of starlings, which on closer inspection included a few redstarts.

 Crossing the dangerous A24 road there is a footpath through the grounds of Knepp Castle

 The old mill pond was full of birds.

 High in an ash tree and perhaps 100 m away was a redwing, looking very colourful and having traveled from Scandinavia.

A fine rainbow illuminated the start point and the "croc of gold" which awaited me there at rainbow's end.  I didn't find it but this walk itself was pure gold in any case, despite slipping and sliding on the wealden clay soils.

 Black-headed gulls

This is the route of the Downs Link path, of which I walked perhaps a half a mile on the outwards leg of this walk and a mile plus on the return from a different path.