Covehithe magic & second encounter with the Great Grimpen Mire

On Saturday 5th December, I parked at Covehithe village (nice to see only 1 car and only 1 pair of dog walkers coming back) saw Carl B briefly and then I walked down to what was to prove to be a very enjoyable visit to the ever reliable Covehithe Broad, in the field north of there were some 400 Barnacle Geese with some closer birds so I took a couple of pics and then walked down to the Broad, I was able to walk through the flooded bit on the beach near the northern path as I was armed with wellies. I could see Maurice B, Clive N watching a bird along the north section, as I reached them I could see it was the excellent Long- tailed Duck. It started to swim towards us and swam north along the Broad giving some exceptional views barely 7 metres away, couple with the early morning sun pokings tts rays through the cloud giving perfect conditions for photography. The LT Duck would regularly dive, giving me an opportunity to run into position and kneel down befoe it resurfaced. It was giving very confiding views, once it resurfaced with a string of pond weed around its bill. It then swam further north along the Broad. A fine male Scaup, with dark green head, yellow eye and white scaly back. It kept further back but at one point it also swam a little north and slightly closer before swimming back to the southern section of the Broad again. Further back was a pair of Goldeneye. Talking to Clive N, first a Knot flew around us and then south and then 3 Dunlin followed the same route again. Walking back I got momentarily stuck in what was to be my second encounter of the Great Grimpen Mire this year (see 31 August entry for 2020 for my first encounter!), as the flooded area on the beach I got completely stuck for a few minutes before using a firmer section of the beach to release the tight grip it had on one of my wellington boots! I then went to Southwold parking in North road and walking to the Boating Lake, no sign of the female Scaup, but I saw Rob H and we saw 4 Bearded Tits in the reeds (bordering the back of the cafe) including 2 fine adult males. I had a quick look for Purple Sandpiper but didn't see it, the skies were looking leaden grey and about to burst with rain/ hail so I made my way back and just dodged the heavy hail storm that followed. Nice to obtain the Suffolk Bird Report for 2019 where I was very pleased to see 7 of my pictures published inc. Great Northern Diver, Razorbill, Purple Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Stock Dove, Darford Warbler and Pied Flycatcher. (A very fair selection).