New Year's day birding

A crack of dawn start on New Year's day and like Christmas day, I travelled to Covehithe and whilst walking down to the Broad, a flock of 28 Barnacle Geese flew south overhead. On the Broad itself, the female Long- tailed Duck was at the back in the south west corner again with 3 Goldeneye. Next stop pakefield Beach by the Jolly sailors where I followed Lowestoft Bird Club chairman Derek B as he put seed out for the Snow Buntings along the mid part of the beach. Initially only 14 Snow Buntings flew in but were later joined by another flock of 28 Snow Buntings totalling 42 Snow Buntings. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew north. Next stop Oulton marshes, I bumped into first Chris S who told me he had spotted 2 Bewick's on Peto's Marsh and then a returning James b on a rare trip out. I was then joined by regular correspondent paul W and we took the usual route down to Fisher Row and then took the intersecting tea gardens path along the western bank. By the green sign I looked across to Peto's marsh and saw the 2 fine Bewick's Swans feeding on this side of the pool in the middle of the field. Meanwhile from the lookout, we joined Neville S and watched the excellent Glossy Ibis feeding along a pool and dyke just north of the lookout. It followed the dyke east whilst feeding. Next and final stop was Fritton woods or should that be waste ground with the increasing number of trees being chopped down, a look out from the mound revealed a dark Common Buzzard and 3 hunting female Marsh Harriers. A flock of 60 Pink- footed Geese flew distantly over a wood at the back and several 18 Curlew seen and a Chinese Water Deer seen also but no RLB's in worsening weather conditions (wind and rain).