Red Breasted Merganser - what a surprise!

I'd been to Woods Mill Nature Reserve in Sussex today - lots of mud and not much else about today.  I had time to kill before picking my grandson up from school so decided to have a look at Widewater Lagoon on the way back.  I've always thought of this being Shoreham but technically it's Lancing.

I'd been to the Lagoon last year when down on a visit - a Little Egret was the bird of note on that occasion.

I drove into the car park!  What are they?  Woo hoo 3 male and 3 female Red breasted Mergansers.  The sea was very rough so they may have sought shelter in the lagoon.  Just a car park separates sea and lagoon.

I managed some pics but the ISO was up as high as a dared... the light was dreadful and in the end rain stopped play.

I understood from another birder that there were 2 Snow Buntings further up on the beach.  Pity I hadn't got time (or the weather!) to go and find them.

So some, (definitely record shot) pics!

After a while all six were diving for food... think this one may have caught something - but the jury's out!