Mixed Bag

On Saturday 11th January I was attending a special conference at the Hospital but was able to pop out between 10.15 and 4pm, driving to Great Yarmouth, the Ibis had flown so I went to Acle Bridge and could initially see no sign of the Cranes. Driving to Yarmouth again for the returned Ibis, but sadly dog walkers had flushed it off again, so I went onto Hickling Rush Hills scrape where there wasn't even a Teal present so dipped on the GWTeal, not a good start. A tweet from Carl had me driving back to Acle Bridge and seeing several cars by a barn just east of the bridge and a tweet from Jane I diverted back and had excellent views of the 2 Cranes at the edge of the field and they were quite close and would have made my best pictures yet but no camera!!! Jane & Paul F, OFB and a departing Steve S & Dot were in attendance. We then drove back to Ludham airfield and we saw a group of around 117 Bewick's Swans with at least 9 Whooper Swans in attendance too. On the far left of the group they were 5 immatures Whooper Swans showing, with up 11 seen in total. Several around 1/4 of the Bewick's were sitting down and none of the ones standing showed yellow legs. Back at Buckenham meeting up with Paul & Jane again around 129 White- fronted Geese seen at the back. By a closer pool amongst Lapwing were at least 3 Ruff walking around. We also tried looking at Cantley, again there was a big flock of White fronted Geese, around 30 Barnacles and 40 Canada plus an odd looking hybrid that may have been Canada X Bar- headed Goose but alas no Beans. I had to leave to to go back to the conference for 4pm and sadly my shoes had become a little muddy and Jane very kindly volunteered to clean one of them with wet wipes while I did the other, amid much hilarity (I can confirm we had not visited any pubs/ beer festivals immediately prior to this!)