A  friend had arranged a business meeting  in Preston for Monday17th November that had then been cancelled. He had paid for a couple of nights in a local Premier Inn that he could not cancel so kindly invited me to join him. I have never visited this part of the country with my camera and was keen to check it out.

Leaving on Sunday morning, we arrived at the first reserve, Martin Mere WWT around lunchtime. And to my first surprise. Being on the west coast, the hides mainly faced west, straight into the afternoon sun. Not good for photography and the species around was not that impressive either - similar to my local Welney WWT.

But you have to try to make the best of things these days with a Shelduck flying in,

and rather more Pintails than I expected. They are my favourite duck so, despite the sun location not being ideal, I concentrated on them.

With the setting sun, there were opportunities for shots with a few Whooper Swans flying in

and eventually a drake Pintail.

So not the best of afternoons - quite disappointing really for my first visit to the reserve.