Waveney Forest visit

On Wednesday 26th January, after work at 2.30pm I decided to visit Waveney Forest as my after work trip this week, again "sans" Camera (because most birds are distant) so I walked to the Mound in the hope of looking for raptors & SEOs. On the way down I read Whats App messages stating Alison A had seen a SEO from the other side of the Marshes and Chris M had recently seen a male HH and RK so things were looking good. A Coal Tit calling from a tree by the Lodge failed to reveal itself. When I reached the Mound, overlooking Chedgrave marshes, I saw Chris M and Peter N, the HH had gone and avian activity was initially limited to 2 then 3 Great White Egrets seen on the marshes. 2 Little Egrets seen too. A couple of Grey Herons seen too, plus up to 3 female Marsh Harriers quartering the area too. Also walking out was the alrming sight of 2 wildfowlers with guns, they set up a camouflage hide and stood inside, during daylight hours fortunately they didn't do any shooting but sadly about 5 gun shots were later heard as I was walking back as the light was fading. Why can't we put a stop to this nineteenth century anachronsitic pastime which should be consigned to history. Up to 3 Common Buzzards seen on the marsh. After Chris and Peter had left at 4.10pm, I spied a distant Fox running right along the edge of a field and 3 Chinese Water Deer seen also. close in I picked up early a magnificent male Hen Harrier flying north just over the river, it had lovely pale grey plumage with white rump and black wing tips and elegantly flew north over the marsh and I just soaked in the views of this wondrous bird. It was obviously going into roost. OFB phoned and as I was talking to him a Peregrine dashed through flying diagonally north-west and low over the marsh. Finally, "tpinging" Bearded Tits heard from the reeds but not seen. As the light was fading 5 Common Buzzards flew into the forest from the marsh. Walking back at the light was fading rapidly, as I walked past the Lodge I took the second path heading south and at 5.05pm just as it was getting dusk, I saw 5 Woodcocks fly up, individually, from the clearing and fly west over my head, a great end to yet another after work trip, 3rd week in a row!