Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you

Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Newchurch Common - Smew

I'd seen reports of a Smew in Cheshire for the last few days and wondered if I'd be able to get along and see it before it departed. An opportunity arose on Sunday to have a look for it, and the weather was good too. Cold and bright, plus the clocks had gone back an hour, which usually means less people up and about as early as me. I guess I'm a little anti-social in the morning, and I like to have the place to myself.
Anyway, Newchurch Common in Winsford was the destination and a rather large fishing lake. I found it okay, but finding the bird was a different matter. I went the wrong way round and had to double back, but this was not such a bad thing, as it meant I got to watch lots of Goldcrests, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Buzzard and other more common birds.
Having doubled back I eventually got to a good viewing area for the Smew. Such a small duck, with its red head and small frame, it certainly stood out amongst the Tufted Ducks it was socialising with. Only my second seen in the wild and not in a collection. A very nice year tick indeed,



And just to add to the highlights of the day, a Ruddy Shelduck was also on the water in with the Canada Geese. A probable captive escapee, there has been one in this area of Cheshire for a while. Still, I wasn't expecting to see it, so it was a nice surprise.
Seen here very distant, but its orangey beige colour quite distinctive.



It got a little closer for a better picture.

10 comments:

  1. Smew!
    I've found a new word for Scrabble competitions - thank you!
    And thanks too for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-visit-to-madame-tussauds.html

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  2. The Smew is pretty, great series of photos!

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  3. Smew is a new word for me. So may birds.

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  4. That's a good find Adam. A Smew is a good bird at any time of the year but especially in October. A real bonus with the Ruddy Shelduck too.

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  5. Smew? Not much, what smew with you?

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  6. That is a new bird for me. Great captures!
    Happy ODW!

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  7. Nice ducks! The smew is a very old species, I understand.

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  8. I have never heard of either the smew to the Ruddy Shelduck. Their different colorations are beautiful. The orange really stands out as does the little red head. Lovely captures. I wish I was a birder. I would have loved learning about them and searching for them to record in my “magical birder book."

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  9. I have been waiting for the Smew, but this year they did not come my way. :( Thanks for sharing them.

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  10. I had never heard of a smew...I am going to go look it up as I love waterfowl.. Thank you ..I learned something new tonight..Michelle

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