eat Cormorant.
The five commoner gulls can all be seen at Staines for much of the year with Little Gull regular during both passage periods. Kittiwake is more or less annual and Mediterranean Gull is increasingly seen, Sabine's Gull, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull and Ring-billed Gull have all been recorded. Skuas, including Long-tailed Skua, have occurred as well as all three phalaropes and even Leach's Storm-petrel.
Terns appear on both passages with regular Common Tern, Arctic Tern and Black Tern and Common Tern breed on artificial islands. Several rarer terns have been seen including Sooty Tern, Caspian Tern, Whiskered Tern and White-winged Tern.
The waders seen at Staines vary widely with the greatest variety and numbers occurring when water levels are lowered. However, Eurasian Curlew and Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin, Common Redshank, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper usually put in an appearance in small numbers.
When drained, the reservoir can attract Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper, Ruff and several other species such as godwits, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot and Sanderling. This area also has an enviable reputation for turning up real rarities among the waders with records of North American species such as Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Pectoral Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk is now a regular hunter over the area as well as Common Kestrel and Northern Hobby is a frequent summer and passage visitor. Merlin and Peregrine Falcon are rare, rarer still are harriers, Osprey and Northern Goshawk.
Ring-necked Parakeet is now a permanent resident of the area but there are few landbirds of interest during the summer. However, Swift, hirundines and a range of other passerines occur on passage. Pipits, wagtails, chats, warblers and flycatchers all occur with occasional reports of scarcer species such as Blue-headed Wagtail, Woodlark, Black Redstart and Snow Bunting.
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Northern Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Red Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Tern, Ring-necked Parakeet, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Reed Bunting
 Other Wildlife
 Site Information
During passage periods Staines Reservoir is certainly one of the best birding localities in the London area and virtually anything can turn up.
 History and Use
 Areas of Interest
 Access and Facilities
The causeway between the two basins is a public footpath with open access at all times but there is no access to other parts of the shoreline.
The reservoir is situa