Taming of the Smew
My 2011 ended without having seen on of the most enigmatic birds of the British winter. The small and seemingly delicate Smew visits these shores in wintertime and can be found in a number of southeastern locations usually with uncanny regularity. One such place is Amwell NR, a reclaimed set of gravel pits that sit at the northern end of the Lee Valley, not far from Ware. Nut-freezingly cold Amwell It was a beautiful, crisp morning but the low sun made it difficult to get good views of the wildfowl on Great Hardmead Lake. After a quick scan I went up to Tumbling Bay Lake; not only easier to view birds but also, a better name for a lake if you ask me. Pochard All the usual ducks could be seen here. Pochard, gadwall, mallard and tufted duck mixed with mute swans, coots and moorhens. But it is here that a pair of smew had been reported over the past few days. The drake is easy to see as his brilliant white plumage with fine black lines is like no other bird I know. He was di...