Smew Mergellus albellus

Smew, Whinfell Tarn (Cumbria, UK), 28th December 2011

Smew (with Eurasian Coots), Lowestoft (Suffolk, UK), 11th February 2012

Like the ones above, most Smews that turn up in England are redheads (females or immature males) but sometimes we are graced with an adult male (known as 'white nuns').

Smew, Talkin Tarn (Cumbria, UK), 27th February 2012

Smews, Martham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 30th January 2010

Smews, Kampen (Overijssel, Netherlands), 2nd February 2014

Smew, Loch of Kinnordy (Angus, UK), 30th December 2013

Smews, Creaking Gate Lake (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2014

Smews, Creaking Gate Lake (Norfolk, UK), 16th February 2014

Smew are winter visitors to Norfolk and wild Smew are very unlikely to appear here before October. So this bird found on 9th September, and seen again towards the end of the month, must be considered to be of suspect origin. It's possible that it was an exceptionally early migrant, but it seems to me far more likely that it was an escapee from captivity. And if that's the case, then it casts significant doubt on the origins of the two birds seen previously at the same site in February of the same year (above).

Smew, Creaking Gate Lake (Norfolk, UK), 9th September 2014

Smew, Whitlingham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 8th February 2009

Smews, Whitlingham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 17th January 2010

Smew, Whitlingham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 3rd January 2010

Unsurprisingly given the males' good looks, Smews are often found in wildfowl collections and below are a few examples.

captive Smew, St James's Park (London, UK), 16th March 2018

captive Smews, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 30th October 2015

captive Smews, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 7th December 2015

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 23rd December 2015

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 7th February 2016

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2016

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 27th February 2016

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 16th May 2016

captive Smew, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 15th October 2016

captive Smews, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 26th October 2016

captive Smews, Pensthorpe (Norfolk, UK), 9th March 2014