Sandblasted at Benacre then back to Lake Lothing at Lowestoft

On Friday 26th January I had a day's A/L, we were hoping to go to Cley for the RB Goose but as that hadn't been seen recently I was keen to see the LT Duck on Benacre Broad but decided to arrive around 9.30am as there was a very strong westerly wind. As I walked along the clifftop path I met first Ali R and David B and his wife who said the bird was showing well on the Broad edge close to the beach. There was a strong blustery wind coming from the west and whipping up the sand, ideal conditions for optics/ camera gear. I hunkered down by the fallen tree trunk, I saw 2 Ringed Plovers by the Broad edge and a nice flock of 80+ Lapwing on the beach. They eventually flew off and south. Dick W came along the beach and I had to inform him he I couldn't see the Duck, so we decided to retreat to the hide. No sooner had we entered then Dick picked up the Long-tailed Duck swimming in the middle of the Broad, by some BH Gulls and it seemed to be swimming for the far north- west corner. It frequently dived but could be easily picked out by the sun glinting on its white head. Also on the Broad were 6 Goldeneye, 3 males and 3 females, around 30 Wigeon and 40 Gadwall as well as around 55 Teal with a nice group of 15 close in to the hide, with several displaying males calling and throwing their heads back a little. Walking back I was fortunate to first hear (betrayed by their distinctive "peuuu" calls) and then see 15 Siskins flying north over the Benacre cliffs approach track. Hard to think we used to drive down and park our cars here, decades ago! (Or probably we parked 100 metres out to sea, given the rate of cliff erosion! Following a tweet from Jane F, I drove straight to Oulton Broad and parked by the riverside car park and I walked out to the concrete jetty, I immediately saw the adult Shag showing close to the jetty, I squeezed through the railings and managed a few shots of the Shag, bathing then swimming in the water, before an orange rib boat came motoring through from the east and flushed the Shag which was performing well right in front of the concrete jetty, as it took to flight and flew further south along Lake Lothing. No sooner had this happened when the immature Great Northern Diver came swimming by (right to left) and I obtained a few shots before it disappeared down and east along the channel. I looked from the beach near the railway bridge and by the measuring stick post, I saw the adult Great Northern Diver and then the 2 Great Northern Divers came together, both circling each other with bills raised and circling in ever decreasing circles. Barely a body's width away! An incredible sight and then the immature bird suddenly turned away and swam away, spoils to the adult bird, the victor! Later, being joined by Paul & Jane F, on the immature bird came swimming back and showed well. 6 Oystercatchers flew south along Lake Lothing. 3 Little Grebe seen.