This is a smew
From the Sussex Advertiser of 1861. Read the first sentence and see if you can guess what fate “generally befalls such adventurers”:
Rare Birds
The present very severe weather has brought some unusual visitors of the feathered tribe to our shores, and they have met the fate which generally befalls such adventurers. Mr Gasson of Tower Street has now in his possession having been shot in the neighbourhood first a very fine bittern the size of a heron a native of warmer climates; second a white fronted goose a native of Lapland Iceland etc; third a beautiful specimen of tufted duck also native to the north; fourth a smew, a native of Greenland; fifth an eider duck which is very rare bird in this country and we believe has not been shot in this neighbourhood before. Mr Gasson will be happy to show the birds to such as are curious in these matters.
If you’re a fan of Audubon, you’ll know he was a crack shot who painted from dead birds. In fact, it was the general practice of early naturalists: see an animal, shoot an animal.
p.s. it’s official: Lavendergirl takes it with Bobby Sherman. Meet here tomorrow, 6 WBT, for Dead Pool Round 185. Me, I’ll be at a party.
Posted: June 26th, 2025 under animals, birds.
Comments: 4
Comments
Comment from Deborah HH
Time: June 26, 2025, 5:30 pm
JavaMan and I lived in a little cottage on Galveston Bay when a FLAMINGO showed up on the beach on Galveston Island. Oh my word! You couldn’t find a hotel room within a 100 miles of the island. The Birders came from all over. Over the years more flamingos have arrived and celebrating the pink birds has turned into Flamingo Fest, which is one of the more sober of the Galveston galas—not quite as rowdy as Spring Break and Mardi Gras!
The hospitality industry loves the Bird Watchers. They spend lots of money and almost never throw the patio furniture or a mattress into the swimming pool.
That smew is a pretty little bird.
Comment from Uncle Al
Time: June 26, 2025, 10:38 pm
I wonder if Audubon would have adopted the digital camera with telephoto lens or if he was an ornithologist simply to camouflage a compulsion to kill things?
Is ‘smew’ pronounced smoo as in ‘smooth’, or smeeoo as in ‘smuseum’?
Comment from Durnedyankee
Time: June 26, 2025, 11:48 pm
Lil Abner had a schmoo
Ee aye ee aye Ohhhhhhh.
Made of crack-ed porcelain too
Ee aye ee aye ohhhhhhh
Come on, it looks like they glued it back together after Autobahn shot it.
Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: June 27, 2025, 1:07 pm
Durn Yankee is right! You can see the seams where it shattered.
And….we know… that….” …If you’re a fan of Audubon, you’ll know he was a crack shot…”
Write a comment
Beware: more than one link in a comment is apt to earn you a trip to the spam filter, where you will remain -- cold, frightened and alone -- until I remember to clean the trap. But, hey, without Akismet, we'd be up to our asses in...well, ass porn, mostly.<< carry me back to ol' virginny