Staines Moor and Reservoir (10 September 2026)

Staines Moor is a unique riparian habitat which has remained unimproved for a thousand years. It is crossed by two rivers the Colne and the Wraysbury and is a mosaic of Hawthorn scrub, riverside trees and reedbeds, with rough grazing pasture and anthills. Considering it lies between Heathrow and the M25 it has a remarkable biodiversity.

Nineteen of us met at the Moor Lane entrance on a pleasant autumn morning for a gentle birding walk around the reserve. We hoped to see passage migrants as well as the resident species and we were not to be disappointed. Along the lane and the entrance to the reserve there were many small birds – mainly Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, but with Chiffchaff, Nuthatch and Goldcrest in attendance. Moving on to the moor we spotted a Kingfisher flying up the river Colne alighting on a riverside sapling affording superb telescope views. Not long after that delight we spotted the first of several Whinchat sitting confidingly on the top of the bushes. There were birds everywhere mainly Linnets and Goldfinches with several Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and a single Yellow Wagtail. Raptors were present in good numbers with several Kestrels, Buzzard, Red Kite and Hobby, along with many Swallows and House Martins feeding up for the journey south. 

As we moved into the middle of the moor we spotted several Wheatear chasing energetically around the anthills, occasionally posing on the tops allowing telescope views. A distant Stonechat was spotted, unusually for here the only one recorded. We moved along the bank of the Colne back towards the reserve entrance, again many small bird flocks mainly Linnets but Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff were a welcome addition, and a skulking Snipe was flushed. Along the river Litte Egret and Grey Heron searched for prey but alas no further views of Kingfisher. Back at the entrance to the moor eleven of us decided to take the option of an afternoon’s birding at the nearby Staines Reservoir which has been partially drained to produce a series of muddy islands which has attracted a variety of waders and Terns.

Staines Reservoir 

The eleven of us made our way up on to the causeway dividing the reservoir. A Greenshank fed busily in the corner and a huge number of Linnets and Pied Wagtails moved along in front of us among them a sprinkling of Swallows and House Martins. From the centre of the causeway we were able to see many waders. Good views of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Knot, Ruff, Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and an American vagrant, a Pectoral Sandpiper. On the north side of the reservoir there were many Black Headed Gulls, several Common Terns, a single Little Tern and a Black Tern loafing on a buoy.

The afternoon had become cool and blustery on the exposed causeway and feeling replete with our wonderful day’s birding it was decided to call it a day. We saw an amazing variety of birds from flocks of Linnets to migrants and an American vagrant way off course. Here’s hoping for the return of the Short-eared Owls in the winter!

A huge thank you to our car drivers for their days efforts, making a great day’s birding possible, especially in providing transport from the moor to the reservoir.

by Roy Pattison

Species Lists:

Day Total: 58
Staines Moor
Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Hobby, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Linnet, Little Egret, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Red Kite, Reed Bunting, Parakeet, Skylark, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Swallow, Wheatear, Whinchat, Woodpigeon, Yellow Wagtail
Total : 30

Staines Reservoir
Black Tern, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Egyptian Goose, Feral Pigeon, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Greenshank, Herring Gull, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Little Stint, Little Tern, Mallard, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruff, Pied Wagtail, Red Kite, Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Shoveler, Swallow, Teal, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Woodpigeon
Total: 34