Another showy diver in 2017!

On Saturday 18th March, at 4am I could hear the rhythmic 'purring" of courting frogs coming from the fish pond, on investigation later in the day 2 adult Frogs seen plus an athletic smaller one that lept away when I approached the pond. This purring was a lovely sound and I'm sure its the result of counting frogs, it was very therapeutic. At 8am, I was walking around the south side of Carlton Marshes, hoping to see the Diver, I initially saw little on the Scrape although 3 Lapwings were in display flight on fields to the left (south). As I took the path to walk around the west side of the scrape and join the irrigation ditches by the sluice, passing a Mute swan, on a soke dyke, I noticed the fine Red- throated Diver showing well and I crawled slowly along but when the bird had dived and was able to run quickly into position without disturbing the bird. The bird was fishing around 20- 30 feet away but in my crouched position the reeds were obscuring most views but patience enable me to get some shots when it swam into some unobscured areas of the dyke. I also noticed Andrew E crouch down along the northern bank path. We had some superlative views of the bird that spent most of its time in the western corner of the dyke, but it would make occasional forays into the middle of the dyke occasional fishing and catching the odd Stickleback. It was noticeable overtime dog walkers went past even if the dogs were on lead or close at heel (pleased to report most were) it unsettled the Diver and it had been asleep on the bank it woke up and rather ungainly scrambled down to the water. If it was in he water it would swim to the furthest eastern part of the dyke and giving us superlative views down to 9 feet at times! We viewed at these times from the iron fence where I was joined by Andrew E and Rob Will who had just arrived. With Lowestoft's finest here (Andrew & Rob not me!) it wasn't long before Andrew spotted a Red Kite (with a primary missing) flying over it flew past the scrape and then hanging over Share Marsh, being fairly low (just above or below the distant telegraph lines) we had prolonged views and ecven saw it later over a south- west wood at 10.50am, Rob spotted one, a distant second Red Kite, an immaculate bird (no primaries missing) flying in from the west. It flew right over us and then flew over the Scrape and then over Share marsh. Other raptors included 6+ Buzzard flying around including 3 together, a female Marsh Harrier and Kestrel. 2 Water Pipits flew singly to the scrape with a higher pitched 'seep" call. Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron (flying around) and Redshank also seen on the scrape.