Smew is the smallest of the mergansers (sawbills) and it is
likely that the name stems from an old variant of the word
small. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries writers
sometimes used smew or smee adjectively in a compound name
such as Smew Merganser. Some historical names for Smew
include; Smee Duck, White Nun, Magpie Diver, Weasel Duck and
Small Herring Bar.
There have been eleven Smew reported from S.
Gloucestershire;
2010: (1)
A
'redhead' was present off New Passage between 13:15 and
mid-afternoon on November 28th.
Smew off New Passage. November 2010. Paul Bowerman.
2006: (1)
On January 29th a female was watched off Aust Warth late
morning, it quickly floated off down river later to be seen
off New Passage.
2003: (2)
A
female was found on January 11th off New Passage; A male was
reported on February 8th off New Passage.
Smew off New Passage. January 2003. Paul Bowerman.
1991: (5) HIGHEST COUNT 5
Five, all males were seen on February 13th off New Passage
with four lingering into February 14th.
1855: (2)
A
male was ‘obtained' on February 12th at Dyrham Park. This
occurrence constitutes the first report of this species in
S. Gloucestershire; A male was 'obtained at or near
Oldbury-on-Severn sometime in c.1855 though no date is
available.