Normal 0
Smew are a delightful migratory member of the sawbill family of wildfowl, so are more closely related to Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser than to Tufted Duck or Teal, for example. They are winter visitors to the UK in variable numbers and breed in the boreal forests of Northern Europe, often utilising an old Black Woodpecker nest hole.Numbers overwintering here have declined in recent years.
The male is unmistakable and is arguably the most attractive of all of our visiting or resident wildfowl. A colloquial name for a male Smew is 'white nun.' The females and 1st-winters are virtually identical, so are known collectively as 'redheads.'
Over the last few days, there has been a considerable influx of Smew into the UK, with birds seen from Lothian to Kent. A scarcely believable eleven are at Rutland Water. Other sites include RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes (Cambridgeshire), Draycote Water (Warwickshire), Linlithgow Loch (Lothian), Alton Water (Suffolk), Paxton Pits (Cambridgeshire), Abbotsbury (Dorset), Pearson's Flash (Greater Manchester), Abberton Reservoir (Essex), Thorpe Park (Surrey) and RSPB Dungeness (Kent).
So now is the time to head for your local lake, reservoir or gravel pit and find your own. They do tend to be rather shy, feeding close to reeds, but patience and persistence do pay off when you connect with this northern gem.
Graham Catley of Nyctea Ltd has kindly agreed to allow us to post his stunning images here. You can catch up with more of Graham's superb photography on his blog here. Here is the male:
And a redhead:
If you find one, let us know about it here.
ATB,
DOM
Leave only footprints, kill only time.
Hi DOM
Once more a lovely interesting bird and I have yet to see one in my area yet.
The only recent ones i have heard about are the ones at Paxton Pits and you have recorded on your list already.
We plan to go to Paxton Pits more so in the future as it is so close to where we stay so it will a bonus for us to see one.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Darren Oakley-Martin said: Normal 0 Smew are a delightful migratory member of the sawbill family of wildfowl, so are more closely related to Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser than to Tufted Duck or Teal, for example. They are winter visitors to the UK in variable numbers and breed in the boreal forests of Northern Europe, often utilising an old Black Woodpecker nest hole.Numbers overwintering here have declined in recent years. The male is unmistakable and is arguably the most attractive of all of our visiting or resident wildfowl. A colloquial name for a male Smew is 'white nun.' The females and 1st-winters are virtually identical, so are known collectively as 'redheads.' Over the last few days, there has been a considerable influx of Smew into the UK, with birds seen from Lothian to Kent. A scarcely believable eleven are at Rutland Water. Other sites include RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes (Cambridgeshire), Draycote Water (Warwickshire), Linlithgow Loch (Lothian), Alton Water (Suffolk), Paxton Pits (Cambridgeshire), Abbotsbury (Dorset), Pearson's Flash (Greater Manchester), Abberton Reservoir (Essex), Thorpe Park (Surrey) and RSPB Dungeness (Kent). So now is the time to head for your local lake, reservoir or gravel pit and find your own. They do tend to be rather shy, feeding close to reeds, but patience and persistence do pay off when you connect with this northern gem. Graham Catley of Nyctea Ltd has kindly agreed to allow us to post his stunning images here. You can catch up with more of Graham's superb photography on his blog here. Here is the male: And a redhead: If you find one, let us know about it here. ATB, DOM
In reply to Anonymous:
Hi-
check my post about birding on frozen waters for Smew records last week :)
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
In reply to Peewit:
No idea re River Eden. Sounds unusual for smew swimming in female pairs on a river. edit....looks more like female goosander habitat.