A local redhead Smew is still entertaining birders at Killingworth Lake, with occasional outings to Holywell Pond, Rising Sun Country Park and the Big Waters Nature Reserve.
A winter visitor from Scandinavia and Russia which is sadly uncommon in our county, so a long staying individual is treasured, especially by the local birders. Many birders are wishing for a male to visit. Fingers crossed.
A seaduck fossil from the Middle Miocene shows that birds similar to Smew existed up to 13 million years ago.
The short video clip below is by David Dinsley – naturenortheast.co.uk