John Chan / Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) plucking Dowitcher (Limnodromus) prey, Southern California, USA.

John Chan / Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) stamping its feet to create vibrations in the sand as it forages for insects, Southern California, USA, August.

John Chan / Flock of Western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) taking flight from salt marsh, Southern California, USA.

John Chan / American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) foraging in salt marsh, Southern California, USA.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) and Purple sandpipers (Calidris maritima) over wintering on the beaches of the Orkney Isles, Scotland, UK, April.

Marie Read / American avocet (Recurvirostra americana), adult in breeding plumage foraging by sweeping its bill from side to side through shallow water, Orange County, California, USA, April.

Marie Read / Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in breeding plumage, head and shoulders showing plumes on crown and neck, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, New York, USA, May.

Chris Gomersall / Large flock of Red knot (Calidris canutus) moving at high tide roost, in winter plumage, Snettisham RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England, UK, September.

Dave Bevan / Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola) eating a marine flatworm, Norfolk, England, UK, February.

John Waters / Wide-angle shot of wetland landscape at sunset, with Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) flying to roost, Ham Wall RSPB Reserve, Somerset Levels, England, UK, February.

John Waters / Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) feeding, catches worm and washes it in water, Greylake RSPB Reserve, Somerset Levels, England, UK, February.

John Waters / Large mixed flock of Knot (Calidris canutrus), Dunlin (Calidris alpina) and Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) in flight at high tide, Steart Marshes WWT Reserve, Somerset, England, UK, December.

David Perpinan / Male Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) arriving at nest to incubate eggs, female leaves, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK, June.

Philippe Clement / Pair of Black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa) courting and mating in wetland, Belgium, April

David Perpinan / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) incubating eggs on nest, alarm calling as a predator flies overhead, Scotland,UK, June.

John Waters / Mixed flock of Wigeon (Anas penelope) and Northern lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) disturbed by hunting Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Greylake RSPB Reserve, Somerset Levels, England, UK, December.

John Waters / Slow motion clip of a flock of Northern lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) flying over a flooded marsh, Catcott Lows Nature Reserve, Somerset Levels, England, UK, December.

Neil Aldridge / Two adult African jacanas (Actophilornis africanus) flying over reedbeds, Selinda Spillway, northern Botswana.

Wim van den Heever / Pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) feeding in shallow water at dawn, Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Wim van den Heever / African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) male holding his youngsters safely under his wings whilst walking. Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Wim van den Heever / African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) male holding his youngsters safely under his wings whilst walking. Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Gerrit Vyn / Pacific golden-plover (Pluvialis fulva) male performing distraction display pretending to have broken wing, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA. June.

Robert Thompson / Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) camouflaged and resting in leaf litter, Huntly Wood, Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, December.

Gerrit Vyn / Red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis) on its Russian breeding grounds. Chukotka, Russia. June.

Ernie Janes / Willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) feeding at sunset Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Claudio Contreras / Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) reflected in water, Xochimilco wetlands, Mexico City, March

Claudio Contreras / Waterfowl at dawn with mist, including Great blue heron (Ardea herodias herodias), American avocet (Recurvirostra americana), Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata), Xochimilco wetlands, Mexico City, Mexic...

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) singing with tongue visible, Norway, June.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) with out of focus Lesser flamingos (Phoenicopterus minor) standing behind, Lake Nakuru, Kenya

Markus Varesvuo / Jack snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus), Uto, Finland, November.

Gabriel Rojo / Southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) La Pampa, Argentina

Erlend Haarberg / Great snipe (Gallinago media) displaying, Norway, June.

Nick Garbutt / Male Southern Lapwings (Vanellus chilensis) displaying in grasslands, Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, South America.

Dong Lei / Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China.

Andy Trowbridge / Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) perched on stump calling. Tomter, Southern Norway. July.

Ben Cranke / Wattled Jacana (Jacana jacana) perched on resting Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) Mato Grosso, Pantanal, Brazil. July.

Nick Upton / Panning shot of partially flooded pastureland with large flocks of Wigeon (Anas penelope), Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) and Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) in flight, Gloucestershire, England, UK,...

Nick Upton / Panning shot of a flock of Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) landing on partially flooded pastureland near resting Black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa) and grazing Wigeon (Anas penelope), Gloucestershire,...

Nick Upton / Flock of Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) in flight, with Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) flying in the background, Gloucestershire, England, UK, January.

Terry Whittaker / Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) in long grass looking at insects on flower, Iceland, July.

Ernie Janes / Redshank (Tringa totanus)wading through water with a dead plant in the background, Norfolk, England, UK, November 2013.

Ernie Janes / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) footprints on sand at low tide, Norfolk, England, UK, November.

Roger Powell / Rear view of Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) in full display at the lek. Varanger, Finmark, Norway, May.

Roger Powell / Satellite male Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) in full display at the lek. Varanger, Finmark, Norway, May.

Denis-Huot,Denis-Huot / Kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) walking in grass burnt in bushfire, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Denis-Huot,Denis-Huot / Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) with a turtle prey, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Ernie Janes / Oyster Catcher (Haematopus ostralegus) in tulip (Tulipa) field, North Norfolk, May 2013

Graham Eaton,Graham Eaton / Dog chasing and disturbing a flock of Knot (Calidris canutus) on a beach, Hoylake, Wirral