New Year's Day birding

On Monday 1st January 2024, a new year and first light I was down by Hamilton Dock, initially for 20 minutes I could not see the Diver but then it surfaced over the south- west side by the ships. I spent some time with the fine Great Northern Diver, although it was nearly always distant once swimming into the channel before swimming into the south- west corner of the harbour before fishing by the ships. I saw Andrew E, James B, Maurice B., Roger C. Andrew E kindly said he had seen the Black Redstart by the Bus station, but there was initially no sign for me. Wandering over to look for Purple Sands, I couldn't see any but Rog said there was one by the finger promentary and sure enough I saw a fine Purple Sandpiper perched on a reddish rock on the northern flank. I walked back to the Orbis Energy and Matthew D was watching the fine male Black Redstart . on the ground in the western section of Semblamarine SLP. I then drove to Asda, and initially saw a Peregrine perched on the eastern side of the Grain silo, I was joined by Matthew D and he spotted a second on the southern face preening and looking up at a Pigeon, the pair of Peregrines flew aound the Grain Silo then settled down again. I was scanning with my bins and I could see a distant Diver by the new Gullwing Bridge, Matthew D had his scope to hand and we could see it was a fine Red- throated Diver. This was the ideal Diver, to keep fit and get some exercise, as it was constantly on the move, a truly peripatetic Diver! We walked down to the back of Asda, but as soon as I got there it swam to the Gullwing Bridge dived and then was seen east of there and the bird swam very long distances underwater almost reaching the harbour bridge before resurfacing seen near the Grain Silo then dived and then was seen swimming by and under and west through the water underneath the Gullwing bridge, it swam so first underwater truly the Johnny Weissmuller (Champion Olympic swimmer and the best known for his role as Tarzan if the 1930s and 1940s) of Divers. I then drove down to Southwold by this time, by the outskirts of reydon, a Kestrel sen hovering, when I reached Southwold, it was just after 11am and it was truly hellish with cars and people everywhere. The road where cars park either side just before the water Tower was packed out and had to carefully negotiate all the cars and people, I saw Gus, Matthew D & other birders bu the side of th road half way down to the Harbour Inn, who had seen the legs but a Peregrine had spooked it and it had flown back. I managed to take Gus's parking space and I was very fortunately to pick up the super Lesser Yellowlegs, not great views but it was feeding beyond the reed fringes unfortunately directly against the light but the delicate bill, more slender proportions and yellow legs confirmed it was the bird. A quick look on the west side of the road, I saw 3 Curlew fly east, 15 Wigeon and Snipe, 2 Redshank on the marsh east of the road. That was enough for me, I needed to leave Southwold promptly. I then drove down to Thorpeness, saw some Ipswich birders, Matthew D again where walking down the road half way to the Golf Club, we looked out to the island by the Mere and saw a roosting redhead Goosander which later swam in the water and tucked in amongst the Mallard, the fine Ring- necked Duck was asleep, it woke up and the bill tip with the black and white band, bobble on head and greyish flanks preceded by the white side breast area was obvious. We also saw a Goldcrest in a tree in front of us and an overflying male Sparrowhawk flying north- east. Next stop was North Warren which was almost as bad as Southwold with cars and people everywhere, I had to drive down the road 3x before I could find somewhere to park but I did find at least 8 White- fronted Geese on the North marsh, together with 30 Greylag, 40 Canada and 120 Barnacle Geese in ever increasing numbers. After that again time to go. Would I brave the crowds with no doubt a packed hide at Minsmere for Hen H or go somewhere a lots less crowded, I plumped for the latter. So next stop, the Lower Waveney Valley, where before the Railway line, I parked and on the second field on the left 2 Short- eared Owls were hunting mostly at the far side of the field, they even grappled in flight briefly. A Barn Owl was also patrolling the field and nice to see a Great White Egret fly south- east and 2 single ton Little Egrets flying west and north.