One of the joys of winter here at Langford is the possibility of coming across two of the UK’s species of sawbill - the goosander and smew. Known as sawbills because of their serrated bill edges, they are diving ducks, specialising in eating fish.
Smew, or Mergellus albellus to be scientific is the smaller of the two species at around 40cm in length. They are almost annual at Langford and have been seen from December - March. Look out on any larger water bodies on site, including the silt lagoons from the public footpath, from the Beach Hut and looking south from the Cromwell Trail. They breed in northern Scandinavia and Russia, in boreal forests by lakes, nesting in holes in trees. They winter throughout much of western and central Europe at mid-latitude, including of course, the UK.
Drake and redhead smew. Image by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
Goosander, or Mergus merganser, are much larger than smew, at around 60cm in length. Again, they can be seen at Langford in most winters, on the larger water bodies around the site. They have similar breeding habits to smew - utilising tree holes for nesting in forests and wooded areas close to lakes or slow flowing rivers, however they will also nest in holes or crevices in the ground. Goosander do breed in the UK, in northern and upland areas, with our resident population supplemented by migrants in the winter months.
And we have just had our first goosanders of the winter, with two drakes over the Beach Hut and heading down onto the Trent yesterday (Tuesday 2nd December). Thanks to Beach Hut volunteer, Dave Roberts for this.
Male and female goosander. Image by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)