Patch highlights of 2014

Staines Moor's third Eurasian Spoonbill passed low overhead on 30 March

Early 2014 will be remembered for the extensive flooding across many parts of Britain, including at Staines and Stanwell Moors. A deep polar vortex over North America throughout the winter of 2013/14 pushed the Gulf Stream much further south than usual, sending one low pressure system after another across the Atlantic to produce the wettest January in southern England since records began in 1910.

Weeks of heavy rainfall saturated the ground and the extremely high water table kept the pools on Staines Moor topped up. The River Wraysbury, which flows along the west boundary of Staines Moor, burst its banks in January causing the most widespread flooding on Staines Moor since January 2003, and remained in flood right through to March.

Access to Staines Moor in particular became very difficult, with the Moor Lane entrances either impassable or requiring waders, and the Colne Valley Way through Stanwell Moor also flooded and was often impassable. But this did not stop a few determined observers from continuing to watch the site.

Several fish were seen swimming around on the flooded footpaths at night in February, including this Northern Pike Esox lucius

The Pantanal-like conditions on Staines Moor attracted unusually high counts of Little Egret, including a new personal highest count of 5 in January and a new site record of 10 on 3 February⁹, up to 7 Water Pipits around the floods and along the Colne (a personal highest count of 5), and the highest number of wintering Lapwings for several years. Large counts of Black-headed Gulls included 150+ on the floods on 19 February⁵, and 40 Pied Wagtails on the same date⁵ (my personal highest count was 20) was impressive. 40 Common Snipe on 24 February³ is a good count for modern times.

Also on Staines Moor, a Short-eared Owl made irregular appearances from late January through to March, a Merlin was seen on 3, 7 and 23 February by various observers, up to seven Goosander were frequently noted - on the Colne and overhead and a Water Rail took up residence under the willows mid way along the Colne. In January at least 2 Eurasian Woodcock regularly showed well at night around the anthills.

Eurasian Woodcock frequently showed well at night on Staines Moor at both ends of the year

On Stanwell Moor, a Bittern was seen sporadically throughout January and February (with another or the same reported at Shortwood Pond on nearby Shortwood Common (part of the wider Staines Moor SSSI) on 31 January), another Merlin was reported and a couple of Cetti's Warblers took up residence.

The receding flood waters brought in a Dark-bellied Brent Goose to Staines Moor that was seen almost daily feeding from 17 March to 1 April, and also visited both King George VI Reservoir and Staines Reservoirs.

Brent Goose, Staines Moor, 17 March - 1 April (Photos by Neil Randon (left) and David Carlsson (right))

Mid March saw the first spring migrants passing through (list of first arrival dates below). Locally scarce migrants include an Oystercatcher at Stanwell Moor on 25 March⁶, a Curlew over Staines Moor on the same date¹¹, Staines Moor's third Eurasian Spoonbill over on 30 March, a Ring Ouzel from 18-19 April¹ and a Marsh Harrier over on 20 April⁴.

First arrival dates of common summer migrants at Staines Moor or Stanwell Moor for 2014:

Species	Arrival date	Location	Observer
Northern Wheatear	18 Mar	Staines Moor	Roger Dewey
Little Ringed Plover	30 Mar	Stanwell Moor	Chris Lamsdell
Sand Martin	30 Mar	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Sedge Warbler	5 Apr	Stanwell Moor	Lee Dingain
House Martin	8 Apr	Stanwell Moor	Thomas Gibson
Barn Swallow	9 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Common Tern	17 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Willow Warbler	17 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Common Whitethroat	17 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Lesser Whitethroat	17 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Cuckoo	24 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Whinchat	24 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Common Redstart	24 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Reed Warbler	24 Apr	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Common Swift	1 May	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain
Garden Warbler	1 May	Staines Moor	Lee Dingain

At least one pair of Cuckoo were noted in late May, and a survey of breeding birds on Staines Moor revealed 4 singing male Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Meadow Pipit territories, and 8-9 Reed Bunting territories (with some seen carrying nest material and food). 4 Northern Lapwings took up territory with at least 2 pairs breeding successfully, with a chick seen from two different broods (and two broods caught and ringed). Two pairs of Redshank also managed to breed, with two broods also caught and ringed. Taller vegetation resulting from much reduced grazing attracted 2 singing male Grasshopper Warblers, however, breeding was not confirmed.

One of two territorial male Grasshopper Warblers present on Staines Moor during April and May

Bucking the trend - Cuckoo continue to breed annually on Staines and Stanwell Moors, no doubt thanks to the healthy numbers of
Meadow Pipit and Reed Warbler present. At least one, possibly two, singing males were present in the spring, including this male
seen chasing a female in early May.

Autumn passage saw some good visible migration overhead at Staines Moor, including the first Black Tern for Staines Moor, a moulting adult, on 3 October, Staines Moor's third 1 Little Gull over on 15 October, the second Marsh Harrier of the year on 27 September followed by a third on 15 November⁸, and 6 Brent Geese on 30 October. High counts of common species on the move include 2,449 Woodpigeon on 22 October (a new site record), and 1,578 Starling and 135 Chaffinch on 26 October.

An influx of Ring Ouzel into south-east England in mid October saw several hundred at coastal sites, and at least 2 making it to Staines Moor on 15 October, and another briefly on 24 October. This autumn also saw an excellent chat passage with good numbers of Whinchat peaking at 11 on 6 September⁴, as well as many Stonechats, with at least 18 on 27 September - yet another new site record.

Autumn sightings on or over Stanwell Moor including a Firecrest on 30 September², and 218 Eurasian Wigeon over on 12 October.

Migrant Short-eared Owls on Staines Moor include an early bird on 15 September⁷, 2-3 on 15 October, and a single on 30 October. A Barn Owl was at the north end of Staines Moor early morning on 19 October¹⁰, and Staines Moor's third Tawny Owl, a male, was heard calling from Bonehead Ditch on 29 November⁴.

One of at least four migrant Short-eared Owls on Staines Moor this autumn

Two Short-eared Owls wintered on Staines Moor - seen intermittently from 30 November until the end of the year, and at least 14 Stonechat decided to stay on for the winter, attracting Staines Moor's sixth (and longest-staying) Dartford Warbler that took to following them around from 15 November to 13 December.

The first returning wintering Water Pipits were 2-3 along the Colne on 15 October. Numbers of this scarce continental winter visitor peaked at 6 (though possibly as many as 11) on 28 November. November saw large numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing stripping berries off the hawthorns in the north-west corner - I'm so glad I managed to persuade Spelthorne Borough Council to leave some of these hawthorns and not fell them all.

Staines Moor's sixth, and longest-staying, Dartford Warbler was present from 15 November to 13 December

Non-avian highlights include 4 Chub in flood water under the bridge along the old railway on 16 February, a Northern Pike in flood water on 22 February, 2 Roe Deer reported on a few occasions by other observers in February (a site first to my knowledge), a Reeve's Muntjac on 17 April, and a Clouded Yellow on 27 September.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the following observers for reporting their records: ¹Kevin Duncan, ²Graeme Charles, ³Thomas Gibson, ⁴Rob Innes, ⁵Keith Kerr, ⁶Chris Lamsdell, ⁷Franko J Maroevic, ⁸Stephen Minhinnick, ⁹Roger Morton, ¹⁰Dominic Pia, and ¹¹Richard Woolley. Also thanks to David Carlsson and Neil Randon for their photos.