Kessingland and Lowestoft

On Saturday 11th January, at first light in the back garden I heard a chackling Fieldfare no doubt in flight but I couldn't visually locate this occasional Sacndinavian visitor to the local environs. An early start had me parking at the euphemistically entitled beach car park which is a good third of a mile from the beach and I walked down the road, past the amusements and eventually onto the beach, where I walked up to the area by the southern most caravan, I saw David W and John B. from. Essex and they motioned me over to some dunes where we viewed the excellent Shore Lark feeding it initially gave some nice views and was constantly feeding and moving the sun came out and I managed a couple of decent pics. I walked to the Sluice, the water was pouring out at a rate of knots and I thought I'd check the Pit which was more like a puddle now, nothing further seen save for a Rabbit near the area by the River hundred. I then decided to check Covehithe Broad for the Scaup but the Broad was mostly frozen over consequently all the Ducks had gone including the Scaup. At the back was a small pool of open water crowded with Gulls Mallard and Gadwall but nothing else. Lots of Gulls were on the sea but nothing noteworthy so I walked back to the car. Deciding against checking Benacre Broad (big mistake as there was a GND on there which I would have found) as that too would be frozen I drove back to Ness Point and parking up I immediately saw a Rock Pipit fly up from the ground and disappear over the seawall. Going after it I saw it fly north of the Point and despite the low tide I was delighted to see 1 and then 2 Purple Sandpipers on the old seawall rising up like rock monoliths from the sea. I then checked the wind turbine area and the Orbis Energy building nothing there so I checked Hamilton road and as I parked up I noticed just left of the Seatrium building a superb male Black Redstart flew up onto a post closeby. I didn't have my camera gear quite ready, fatal mistake (but I had only just drawn up in the car) and missed what would have been cracking pictures of this bird that stayed for 2 minutes on its post until it flew as I was just about getting ready to take its picture. A later try in Corton Woods at 3pm revealed the female Ring- necked Parakeet in trees at the very north end or in the gardens beyond, her location frequently heralded by loud sqwarks shattering the air!