Covehithe Broad Geese and Minsmere GW Teal

Benacre and Covehithe are both great winter locations for birding and having already seen the Shore Lark & GNDiver in the area, I was keen to try for the Covehithe goodies. This morning on Saturday 11th January, was very grey and cloudy. I walked down to Covehithe Broad because I particularly wanted to get some pics of the Tundra Bean which had been associating with the Greylag Goose flock there. Birds can often show rather well around the Broad area providing they aren't disturbed and it is a very nice walk down with opportunities for seawtaching. Mercifully, there weren't too many people about (unlike Christmas Day!), but I noted there were 2 sets of dog walkers already on the beach. I wasn't therefore surprised that I couldn't see any Geese as I walked down, but just before I arrived, the dog walkers had disappeared and rather fortuitously, a big flock of c100 Greylag Geese landed on the northern arm of the Broad. I scanned from the bracken area by the path and initially near the north end, I spotted the fantastic Tundra Bean Goose. Another small Goose flew in, it was the excellent Russian White- fronted Goose. It had settled in the flock further north than the Bean. I spent some time with the flock and they were quite confiding and with careful field craft, I eventually managed to photograph the flock (who were quite excepting of my presence) from the edge of the Broad. The Tundra Bean spent a lot of the time at the back of the flock and then swam to the southern end of the flock, where it was joined by the White- fronted Goose. After 90 minutes the sun finally came out a lit up the flock. By this time the Tundra Bean was along the southern section and occasionally joined by the White- fronted Goose. At times the Bean was the closest bird of the flock but sadly this wasn't the case when the sun was out. 2 Greylags swam strongly right followed by the Tundra Bean. Walking down to the south section of the Broad, I saw 11 Gadwall, really nice to see a fine male Pochard, sadly too rare a sight nowadays and a pair of Goldeneye. As I walked back I heard a Water Pipit. A few minutes later gunshot rang out, the Tundra Bean Goose promptly took to flight flying north- west. I scanned for the White- front, it had gone too. My cue to leave too. A look out to sea revealed a Grey Seal which poked its head out briefly and 3 Kittiwakes all adults flying south. Next stop, between Blythburgh Water tower and Hinton/ Dunwich five ways, looking in the field just west of the B road, I could see the excellent group of 11 adult Bewicks Swans and I parked the car and had reasonable scope views. Then onto Minsmere and I bumped into Keith and Jane W, who told me they had just seen the GW Teal from the North Hide looking towards the east hide. Initially I couldn't find it but noted 2 Avocet, loads of Teal probably 1500+ and there was back up expert help either. Until Ivan L. came into the hide. I then spotted a wonderful group of 5 Goosander in the pool of water in front of the East Hide, there were 2 resplendent males with salmon-pinky-white underparts and 3 females. They swam over a ridged island spit at the side where they promptly went to sleep! I shouted out the Goosander spot and Ivan was able to get the other occupants of the hide onto them. Richard D came in and we redoubled our efforts to find the GW year which remained elusive after half an hour of searching. Richard thought like me, it was probably asleep on the islands just north of number 8 island. Sure enough, I spotted the excellent Green- winged Teal, with vertical white stripe just behind the breast side, swim out briefly from behind the island but it promptly swam back behind the island. It swam out again and flapped its wings, I shouted out the spot and Richard got onto it instantly and Ivan again got the other occupants onto the bird too. The bird swam between the two islands and showed reasonably well for the next 10 minutes before again disappearing behind the island again. I walked back to the reserve centre and saw Ivan & Chris L in the car park, they suggested I check in the centre on whether the Whoopers were about they weren't but I drove down to near Island Mere parked at the far end and walked to the hide. 2 Marsh Harriers seen a female and male. As the light started to fade, a fine Kingfisher flew and perched on a reed at the wall of reeds to the right and fished and then flew to another reed before finally flying off. Finally as the light was fading a fine Barn Owl flew past the hide east and then flew north round the east side of the hide. No sign of the Whoopers who didn't come into roost, although there was a dredging machine working west of the hide.