IN PICTURES: Rare birds flock to Sandwell Valley nature reserve

Rare birds have been spotted at Sandwell Valley nature reserve following the unusually wet and warm winter.

At least two rare species have been seen this month roaming the reserve - which provides a key sanctuary for birds flying over the built-up area.

The extraordinary weather seen around Britain this winter has been cited as the reason why the birds have flocked there early.

Andrew Purcell, a volunteer of more than 40 years at the reserve, said: “We had a smew here not long ago, which is only the seventh time we have ever seen one at the valley.

“The oystercatcher came in mid-December too, they don't normally come until another six weeks.

“We think the warm weather is the reason why they have flocked here earlier.”

The smew is a small diving bird that migrates to Britain from northern European countries, such as Scandinavia and Russia, to escape the freezing weather.

Males are white with black masks and backs, and females are grey with reddish-brown heads.

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Rare duck thrives in EU protected areas

The Smew, a duck that is a rare visitor to the UK in winter, is doing twice as well as two decades ago within areas protected by EU wildlife laws, reports the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT) and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Scientists studied data from wetlands throughout Europe and found that as a result of climate change nearly a third of these ducks now spend winter in north-eastern Europe, compared to just 6 per cent 20 years ago.

And in that region, numbers of Smew within Special Protection Areas designated by the EU Birds Directive have grown twice as fast as those on unprotected sites.

WWT’s Head of Species Monitoring, Richard Hearn, says: “The EU’s network of protected areas is obviously helping Smew adapt to climate change.

“Most Special Protection Areas were designated around 20 years ago using the data that we had then. Things have changed dramatically in the natural world since then and we need to respond to help ensure that Smew and other waterbirds remain well protected.”

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Smew....

Jenny Wallace 

10 Feb 2014 11:25 AM 

After the presence of a pair of smew on Thursday 30th January, a redhead appeared on silt lagoon 7 on Wednesday last week and stayed at least until Friday. Smew are less than annual at Langford, with no reports last winter and the current redhead only being about the 8th-9threcord for the site.

They are without doubt stunning little birds. The males are bright white with black markings, whilst the females live up to their name of redhead, with a rich chestnut coloured forehead, crown and nape, extending down the back of the neck.

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