More than a quarter-of-a-million birds are estimated to visit the Ribble Estuary every year, with the largest numbers in winter.
Wading birds and wildfowl gather in huge concentrations, with pink-footed geese and whopper swans being particularly special to the area.
My wife, Sarah, and I explored both sides of the estuary in December in search of birds and other wildlife.
From the Southport Caravan and Motorhome Club site we visited the RSPB Marshside's reserve.
In the various pools and wet patches, wigeons and teals were gathered together for safety. Lapwings and golden plovers occasionally took to the air in massive flocks disturbed maybe by a bird of prey, possibly a merlin, sparrowhawk or peregrine, all of which hunt here in winter.
