Covehithe Crackers

Sunday 13th December, another dull day but a very pleasant walk to Covehithe Broad where initially I saw a lot of Gulls by the first pig field including 1 adult winter Mediterranean Gull. By the straight "bushy track" bordering an arable field I saw several Goldfinches 5 and 3 Chaffinches and then I bumped into Dick W who said he'd seen a small flock of Lesser Redpolls. Dog walkers then went by and they flushed 3 Lesser Redpoll that perched on the edge of the bushes for a short time. Also 1 Chiff- Chaff was seen moving south low in the bushes too. A great start. Down at the Broad, again a lot of Gulls were seen. There were 3 close Mute Swans but 4 smaller Swans over the south side of the Broad proved to be a quartet of regular feeding Bewick's Swans continually upending in search of food. Along the far bank were around 400 Barnacle Geese, 2 Red- breasted Geese of escaped origin. We saw Rob M and he said the Slav was over the southern side of the Broad close to the beach and a the fine black and white Slavonian Grebe was seen, it was regularly diving too for food. Rob M told us he'd just seen a LEO fly in off the sea and settle exhausted on the beach but he had unavoidably flushed it further south beyond the breach and it was heading for Easton Broad. A look up there seeing a dog walker we decided to leave it. We were then joined by Gerald J suddenly 3 Bewick's Swan circled around and then continued flying south. and we then enjoyed views of the Slavonian Grebe now along the back of the Broad and the 4 Bewick's Swans feeding on the Broad. Also on the Braod were 5 Goldenye, 1 cracking male and 4 females. I then spotted 3 Brent Geese feeding at the back over to the left.