I never got on here over the hols but I did manage to visit a couple of places. This is from Marshside just before New Year.
There were hundreds if not thousands of Pinkies on the salt marsh. These two were playing statues with an out of view Buzzard, who was actually disinterested in them but they wouldn't move a muscle until it flew off.
A walk around the perimeter gives better views of the abundant wildfowl, like this Wigeon
Mrs. Mally does a flyby too
A Black-tailed Godwit engaged in some navel inspection
The three Stooges
I normally use photos as Wallpaper on the computer and thought I needed to update my example Wigeon ...
This looks more aggressive than it really was
I'd had the female Kestrel in my sights before and missed the photo. When I came across her again she was sitting calmly at wings-length from a Magpie. By the time I'd set up the shot, the Magpie flew up and it disturbed the Kestrel who had to take off too. There was no mobbing or aggression from either bird, so it looks more dramatic than it was!
At this point I went off the reserve and up towards the pier looking for a local speciality. While I was looking, I got this Redshank on the Marsh
It was blatantly ignoring the danger signs for deep mud!
An imperious Herring Gull regarding his realm - West Lancs Sailing club
A Waggie on the slipway
And finally I got what I'd been looking for ...
Give yourself 10 housepoints and a gold star if you ID'd those before I told you what they were ... a few examples from the flock of Twite on the shore.
They were quite flighty so I didn't push it and made do with shots of the flock from the promenade rather than trying to get closer. Numbers were quite good with maybe 80-100 birds.