As many birders were out enjoying New Year’s Day, starting their year lists from fresh, news broke, of a Smew at Killingworth Lake. The bird remained till dusk, but was gone the next day.
Elsewhere on the Lake there were up to nine Goosander, 11 Goldeneye, over twenty Tufted Duck and couple of Grey Heron and Cormorant. There was no sign of any Pochard. Killingworth Lake is usually a great site to view Pochard, sometimes in good numbers.
Photo below by GK Knox
