Peterborough Bird Club annual report Smew Mergus albellus | A | Scarce 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Scarce winter visitor. It was a very good year for the species locally. The full set of records are as follows, all birds 'redheads' unless specified. Three at Deeping Lakes NR on 3 Jan (RB, WB), one there on 9 Feb (TW), three on 10 Feb (WB), 11 (including six males) on 16 Feb (TW), one on 23 Feb, one male on 30 Nov (WB) and singles on 29 Dec (WB) and 31 Dec (WB). At Baston & Langtoft GP, four (one male) on 18 Jan (DW, TW), six (one male) on 22 Jan (MW), one on 26 Jan (RB, WB), two on 31 Jan (PNW), six (one male) on 18 Mar (AA, PA). At Tallington GP, three on 18 Jan (TW), four (one male) on 26 Jan (MW, KAF), four on 21 Feb (MH) and two males on 14 Dec (MC). Elsewhere, two (including one male) at Ferry Meadows CP on 22 Jan (CD), singles at Orton BP on 8 Feb (MW, SPD) and 20 Feb (MW) with two on 28 Dec (KD). At Prior's Fen GP, one on 29 Nov (MW), with three there on 14 Dec (MW) and two on 30 Dec (GW). On the Nene Washes, one was at March Farmers on 6 Jan (JT) and two on 27 and 29 Jan (JT, CK). The last record for the first winter period was of six birds (one male) at Baston & Langtoft GP on 18 Mar (AA, PA). The first returning bird was one redhead at Prior's Fen GP on 29 Nov (MW).
2002	Scarce winter visitor. Numbers visiting the PBC area are dependent on the weather and generally coincide with periods of cold weather in the continental wintering grounds of this species. At Tallington GP, one male was seen on 19 Jan (MHo) with numbers building over the next week, peaking with six (including two males) on 24 Jan (MW) with four on 25 Jan (two males) (GRH) and 26 Jan (one male) (GRH, MHo). Three birds (one male) were there on 24 Feb (SPD). At Deeping Lakes NR, a female was found on 19 Jan (WB) and up to two females recorded on 9-10 Feb (WB, TW). A male was recorded from Stowe GP on 20 Jan (BHS, SPD). Six birds (one male) were seen at Prior’s Fen GP on 30-31 Jan (BHS, SPD) with singles present between 3-12 Feb (MO). Records during the second winter period were restricted to December with four (including one male) at Tallington GP on 10 Dec (BHS), seven at Langtoft West End GP on 22 Dec (AD), one at Bainton GP on 28 Dec (DB) and six (one male) at Baston & Langtoft GP on 31 Dec (BirdGuides.com).
2001	Scarce winter visitor. All records: at Baston & Langtoft GP, one on 1 Jan (AB) and three on the 4th (MF, TW), increasing to four by 8-10 Feb (PO, TW); Orton BP, one on 3 Jan (KW) had been present for seven days; Tallington GP, one on 21 Jan (TW); Deeping Lakes NR/Deeping High Bank area, two on 11 Feb (TW) and 4 Mar (AB). Returning birds are usually discouraged by mild weather, so two at Tallington GP 16 Dec was a typical return date (TW).
2000	Scarce winter visitor. Records of between 1-3 at Baston & Langtoft GP, Tallington GP, Orton BP and Langtoft West End GP between 11 Jan and 20 Feb (most consistently at Orton BP), and a maximum count of five at Langtoft West End GP on 13 Feb. The first returning birds were two at Orton BP on 28 Dec, joined by a third on 31 Dec.
1999	Scarce winter visitor. A scattering of records in Jan and Feb, mostly of 1-3 birds, but 11 at Tallington GP on 16 Jan, five there on 24 Jan, five at Baston & Langtoft GP on 10 Jan, increasing to seven (including two males from 24 Jan-6 Feb; six still present there, with display noted, until at least 20th, but down to two by 28th (AB, TW et al).
1998	Rare winter visitor. In the first winter period, there were two males at Ferry Meadows CP on 4 Feb (DG), one or two redheads (female/immature) regularly seen at Orton BP from 1 Jan-6 Feb and three redheads at Tallington GP 8-15 Mar (TW). In the second winter period, up to 11 redheads were at Orton BP throughout December. Three redheads were at Baston & Langtoft GP 6-31 Dec (TW) and three more were at Baston Pits on 20 Dec (DP). Nene Washes: A redhead appeared on the mostly frozen reserve floods from 21 Dec into the New Year.
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