WHITE NUN
The sawbills are a group of diving ducks that get their name from their specialised bill, which they use to catch their main food – fish. They hunt by diving under the surface and chasing the fish on short but powerful swims, all the time snatching at the fish as they do so. Now as we know, fish can be slippery characters indeed, and this is where the bill comes into its
own; serrated edges, resembling the teeth of a saw, line the beak, enabling the swimming bird to grip the fish tight between them. It is as good an example of evolutionary adaptation as there is. The Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser can be found in parts of Britain throughout the year, but the Smew, however, is only ever a visitor, joining us for a few months each winter. All three birds are beautiful, but the drake Smew is a true wonder; I can remember my first male Smew as if it happened yesterday (it was actually almost 25 years ago). We were at Dungeness, the weather was bitter and although a Short-eared Owl had briefly lifted the mood, there wasn’t much happening other than near frostbite! Then, on one of the flooded gravel pits, a drake Smew came into view, making us forget the freezing weather as we watched intently, beguiled by its beauty. With his brilliant white plumage offset with black lines and black mask around the eye, the drake almost has an art deco-esque look to it. Female/immature Smews are grey with red-brown and white faces, hence the nickname ‘redhead’ Immaculate with black-green head, red bill and white to salmon-pink body, drakes are spectacular Mike Drake Smew are amazing looking ducks in black and white, hence their religious nickname
If Holland or Denmark experience a big freeze this January, Smew will be heading our way in increased numbers