Winter fayre during New Year birding

On Friday January 1st, sticking solely to the local patch, I started at Covehithe, following Kevin B from Mutford (not a pre-arranged meet!), I reached Covehithe Broad and where the reeds met the beach was a very immature Bearded Tit, mostly remaining out of sight before it was disturbed by other walkers and it flew over to the reeds. The northern section of the Broad was totally frozen and walking over to the southern section was a group of ducks 20 Gadwall, 15 Shovelor and in front of them was the excellent Long- tailed Duck which swam gradually to the side and back. Out to sea, was a Grey Seal and and 11 Wigeon. Next stop was the road to wenhaston and the 25 Bean Geese were in the usual spot on the field at the back, whilst in nearby bushes was a Long- tailed Tit and a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and pecked at a bare piece of wood along the central stem of a tree close by. Kevin had mentioned several winter Thrishes in Wrentham old cemetary, but drving along the back roads of Wrentham I spied several 5 Fieldfares and 3 Redwing feeding on berries by the roadside hedgerows. I parked on the verge opposite, the sun emerged and I managed to photograph the Fieldfares opposite (really pleased with the pics I obtained!) that stayed put (whilst staying within the car) but sadly the Redwings flew off. At the Old Cemetary, several groups of Redwings were flying around perching on the high trees at the back and small groups of Fieldfares flying around but never settling. I then visited Lake Lothing and saw a Shag on the water just right of the concrete jetty and Kingfisher wizzed by, but no sign of the RBM. A quick visit to Ness Point revealed 5 Turnstones feeding on the weed encrusted rocks by the compass (but no Purp Sands). By a few Gulls just right of the finger was a Guillemot slowly swimming north. Back home a tweet by Cheryl D saying the RBM was back I went down and parked by the harbour car park but alas no sign of the RBM for 2 hours but up to 2 Shag seen in front of the concrete pier and by the Cruising Club, 2 Kingfishers one chasing the other and another 3rd Kingfisher seen over to the left of them too. An Oystercatcher flew off and 3 Redshanks seen. Finally at 2.20pm, a small boat chugged west through the cruising club and probably flushed the female Red- breasted Merganser finally flew out and settled on the water between the rail bridge and the pier.