During this season of goodwill our thoughts turn to crackling fires, being with the family and for many a song or a carol to bring merriment to the colder days. Tweet of the Day has been entertaining early morning listeners to the Radio 4 schedule every day since 2013, but this Christmas we will delight in an avian offering of the well known song Twelve days of Christmas.

As the song hints at, no festive party for a true love would be complete without eleven massed pipers piping. And possibly the best pipers of the British bird world can be found down on the coast. For actress Alison Steadman two species which come to mind are the redshank and the oystercatcher.

Producer : Andrew Dawes
Photograph: Tim Marlow.