A seige of herons

Yesterday F and I went to Parkgate on the Wirral peninsular as the high spring tide often sends birds and prey close to the car park.  We saw marsh harriers and lots of little egrets but nothing up close.  When I got home I found out that there had been a big fire on the marshland in the area thought to be set deliberately. It must have been in a different area to us as we saw no evidence.

Afterwards we went to Burton Mere nature reserve where we saw four avocets amongst lots of other birds.  I was amazed to see a group of 28 grey herons in a line, unusual as they're solitary birds (possibly a local heronary close by).  There was a little girl in the hide that thought they were penguins - they did look like it!  My blip is of just a few of the herons.