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This group of reservoirs forms one of the premier birding sites in the London area with large numbers of regularly wintering and passage waterfowl and a list of rarities unsurpassed in the region.
Staines Reservoir covers 170ha and is divided into north and south basins by a causeway which provides excellent viewing across both waters. There are concrete banks and the water depth averages about 10m but once every few years one is drained leaving muddy margins, islands and shallow water that are ideal for waders and other birds.
Around the reservoir is rough grassland with patches of hawthorn and bramble scrub that provide food and shelter for a few breeding birds and attract passerine migrants.
The two Staines basins lie to the east of the A3044 and to the west is the King George VI Reservoir, a much larger water dating from the Second World War. The birds are similar to those found at Staines but access is limited to those with special permits to census waterfowl.
 Notable Species
Staines Reservoir is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is of national importance for its wintering waterfowl. Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail are all regular as well as Tufted Duck, Common Pochard and Common Goldeneye. Ruddy Duck winters here with well over 100 present in some years and Goosander occurs in small numbers. Greater Scaup is recorded most winters but Smew is seldom seen.
Brent Goose is an occasional passage visitor as is Garganey and other waterfowl to be recorded here include Black Brant, Green-winged Teal, Red-crested Pochard and Ferruginous Duck, Common Eider, scoters and Long-tailed Duck. Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe can be seen all year but in autumn this reservoir becomes the most regular site in the London area for Black-necked Grebe. Slavonian Grebe and Red-necked Grebe are recorded annually, Great Northern Diver, Black-throated Diver and Red-throated Diver have all occurred and Shag sometimes join the regular Great 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 