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Birds and Habitats in the SBSG area.
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Smew

Female [or immature] redhead Smew at Thrybergh CP, S.Yorkshire, January 2002
Photograph Copyright © Ashley Fisher

Smew is a scarce winter visitor. Apart from one historical record [a bird shot at Staveley in 1774] the first for the area was a redhead at Langsett on 5th Dec 1975. This was the first of only two upland records of the species to date, with the bulk of records being from eastern lowland waters. All records have been in the winter period November to February, with most in December and January. The black and white adult male is a stunning bird and high on my list of favourites but, at the time of writing [January 2002] there have only been five recorded in the area: in 1976, 1982, 1984, and 1986-87, with no more until the most recent at RVCP on 15th and 17th January 1997 and presumably the same bird at Harthill Res on the first of those dates. The remainder have been 'redhead' females or immatures. As a measure of the scarcity of Smew, there were no records at all in 13 of the years between 1975 and 2002, namely: 1977-1980 inclusive, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992-1994 inclusive, 2000 and 2001. There have been only 4 multiple records: the 1987 adult male was accompanied by 2 redheads on its final 2 days; four redheads were at Broomhead Res on 22nd November 1991; the 1997 male had joined a longer-staying redhead whilst at RVCP; seven redheads at RVCP on 5th December 1998, with 4 at Elsecar Res 3 days later probably part of the same party. All other records have been of single birds.

There was a good run of records in the late 1990's, with over-wintering redheads in the three consecutive winters 1996-97 to 1998-99. During these winters a redhead was recorded at several of the eastern waters, mainly RVCP and Thrybergh CP, but also including Harthill, Catcliffe Flash, Renishaw, Wentworth, Elsecar and Blackburn Meadows NR. It is sometimes difficult to know how many individuals are involved, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that many of the records during this three year span may have involved the same returning and wandering female. It is certainly true that a single bird visited most of these waters between December 1996 and February 1997.

The accompanying photographs of a female [or immature] were taken by Ashley Fisher on 7th January 2002 at Thrybergh CP from where it flew off shortly afterwards. It was first located at Thrybergh CP on 1st January 2002 and last seen there on 10th January. However, this bird spent much of its 10 days in the area on the River Don near Aldwarke SF, commuting occasionally between the two sites. Last updated 18th January 2002.

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