It was great to see a Smew 'redhead' found yesterday 6 January on the River Lune in Lancaster. This find was the first in the LDBWS area since one found at Aldcliffe 13 years ago in January 2013, and gave me an incentive to do some research through my records for a bit of history about the Smew in our recording area.
Drake Smew. Jan Larsson.
I was able to rewind 37 years where I found a redhead Smew recorded at Leighton Moss in November 1988 by John Wilson. When I traced back to the 1990's, personal records read that I found a drake Smew on 22 November 1992, which returned to the then named Dockacres for many years.
Redhead Smew. Pete Woodruff.
After this bird, my selective records are....
December 1992. Two redhead Smew present at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, one saltmarsh, one Public Hide.
December 1992. Drake Smew on the River Lune at Snatchems. Six days later I found a drake Smew at Greyhound Bridge on the River Lune, and presumed it to be the same bird.
March 1993. I found a drake Smew at Blea Tarn Reservoir, Lancaster. I regard this record as one of the earlier magical moments of my birding.
Through the 1990's, the Smew was recorded in the LDBWS recording area as a 'scarce but almost annual winter visitor'.
February 2009. A redhead Smew Leighton Moss.
January 2010. A redhead Smew Freeman's Pool 24 January to 21 March.
December 2012. A redhead at Leighton Moss, moved between three sites to be last seen at Aldcliffe 28 March.
January 2013. A redhead at Aldcliffe 25 January to 1 March.
Thereby the tale of the missing Smew begins....until 13 years later 6 January 2026 that is!
Thanks to Lancaster birder Barrie Cooper for this excellent record of this excellent and scarce bird.
