To say that 2016 on the patch was tough going is an understatement. It was a particularly poor year for birds - migrants and breeders alike - with one Red List species failing to return to breed for the first time. Despite this, two warbler species occurred that are potential additions to the Staines Moor list. It was also a poor year for fungi, probably as a result of a very dry last quarter. However, butterflies put on a great show, with the best autumn Red Admiral migration ever recorded at the patch.
All reports below refer to Staines Moor unless otherwise stated, and include unauthenticated records pending acceptance by the London Bird Club recorders (records that are not my own are credited in brackets).
The mild conditions the first half of winter 2015/16 continued into the January and February. End of winter highlights include 2 Eurasian Treecreeper along Bonehead Ditch on 1st January9, a high site count of 18 Stonechat on 5th January3, 7 Water Pipits on 16th January, a singing Eurasian Treecreeper by Slips Pond on 11th February, single Jack Snipes on 11th February and 25th February, 1 male House Sparrow on the Moor Lane unit of the Staines Moor SSSI on 19th February (a very rare bird for Staines Moor), and 2 Water Rail along the Colne, with one bird showing extremely well under the willow clump from 12th to 17th March. 6-8 Water Pipit on 17th March is another good site count.
Spring migration was very slow. Another singing Eurasian Treecreeper along the old railway on 2nd April was presumably the bird seen here throughout the winter, and a Grasshopper Warbler and 3 Common Redstart were all present on 12th April.
The highlight of the spring was a pair of Bar-tailed Godwits feeding beside the Colne all day on 12th May. The female was ringed as an adult on 11 May 2006 in the Netherlands at Polder bij Lies on the island of Terschelling in the western Wadden Sea. A single Grasshopper Warbler returned to breed (seen on 5th and 7th May and heard on 12th May), but depressingly, there was no sign of any Common Cuckoos at either Staines Moor or Stanwell Moor this year - the first year of absence for the patch that I can remember.
Redshank returned to Staines Moor in mid March, with 2 on 17th increasing to 5 on 20th5. 2, presumably a pair, were still present on 22nd May but breeding was not proved. Sadly, although 4 displaying Northern Lapwing were seen on 22nd March, not a single pair bred successfully.
First arrival dates of common summer migrants at Staines Moor or Stanwell Moor for 2016:
Coverage over the summer months was almost non-existent. After a very poor spring I really needed a long break away from the patch and so didn't make a single visit, but neither, seemingly, did many others. A Barn Owl at the south end of Staines Moor on 13th June is an unusual summer record5, and an intriguing report of a Marsh Warbler on the 27th August2 will be a site first if accepted.
Autumn passage began with a huge influx of migrant Red Admirals butterflies provided a fantastic spectacle as their feed on blackberries in their hundreds, peaking with at least 554 counted on Staines Moor and Stanwell Moor on 8th September.
Early October provided the autumn passage highlights. A tame Red Knot feeding beside the Colne on Staines Moor for an hour on 7th October must have been a fantastic sight and is only the third site record4. The next day the national Yellow-browed Warbler influx reached the patch with Staines Moor's first seen in a tit flock in the north-west corner6.
The first Short-eared Owl of the autumn appeared on 8th October8, with 2 together on 16th October5 and 20th October5, and the first returning Water Pipit and Jack Snipe were both noted on 22nd October. A Mediterranean Gull on 27th October is, surprisingly, only the third record for Staines Moor and a Dartford Warbler that showed up in the south-east corner of Staines Moor on 11th November is the seventh site record. 2 Jack Snipe were along the Colne on 15th November7 and a juvenile Marsh Harrier south-west over Staines Moor on 4th December1 was the last notable record of the year1.
Personally, 2016 on the patch will be remembered as a highly frustrating and infuriating year, with a huge number of hours spent in the field during spring and autumn migration in particular producing absolutely naff all. This is the nature of inland patch birding of course, but I really hope 2017 is a little better.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the following observers for reporting their records: 1Nick B, 2Ed Bates, 3John Edwards, 4Hugh Evans, 5Thomas Gibson, 6Rob Innes, 7Steve Portugal, 8Jim Sweetland and 9Jim and Tony Sweetland.
All reports below refer to Staines Moor unless otherwise stated, and include unauthenticated records pending acceptance by the London Bird Club recorders (records that are not my own are credited in brackets).
The mild conditions the first half of winter 2015/16 continued into the January and February. End of winter highlights include 2 Eurasian Treecreeper along Bonehead Ditch on 1st January9, a high site count of 18 Stonechat on 5th January3, 7 Water Pipits on 16th January, a singing Eurasian Treecreeper by Slips Pond on 11th February, single Jack Snipes on 11th February and 25th February, 1 male House Sparrow on the Moor Lane unit of the Staines Moor SSSI on 19th February (a very rare bird for Staines Moor), and 2 Water Rail along the Colne, with one bird showing extremely well under the willow clump from 12th to 17th March. 6-8 Water Pipit on 17th March is another good site count.
 |
| Water Rail, River Colne, Staines Moor, 17 March 2016. Water Rail occasionally winter in the willow clump along the Colne just south of the northern footbridge. |
Spring migration was very slow. Another singing Eurasian Treecreeper along the old railway on 2nd April was presumably the bird seen here throughout the winter, and a Grasshopper Warbler and 3 Common Redstart were all present on 12th April.
 |
| Migrant Grasshopper Warbler, Staines Moor, 12 April |
The highlight of the spring was a pair of Bar-tailed Godwits feeding beside the Colne all day on 12th May. The female was ringed as an adult on 11 May 2006 in the Netherlands at Polder bij Lies on the island of Terschelling in the western Wadden Sea. A single Grasshopper Warbler returned to breed (seen on 5th and 7th May and heard on 12th May), but depressingly, there was no sign of any Common Cuckoos at either Staines Moor or Stanwell Moor this year - the first year of absence for the patch that I can remember.
 |
| Bar-tailed Godwits, Staines Moor, 12 May |
Redshank returned to Staines Moor in mid March, with 2 on 17th increasing to 5 on 20th5. 2, presumably a pair, were still present on 22nd May but breeding was not proved. Sadly, although 4 displaying Northern Lapwing were seen on 22nd March, not a single pair bred successfully.
First arrival dates of common summer migrants at Staines Moor or Stanwell Moor for 2016:
| Species | Arrival date | Location | Observer |
| Barn Swallow | 20 Mar | Staines Moor | Iain, John & Kath Darbyshire |
| Northern Wheatear | 26 Mar | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Sand Martin | 26 Mar | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| House Martin | 3 Apr | Staines Moor | Tim Rymer |
| Common Redstart | 12 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Grasshopper Warbler | 12 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Willow Warbler | 12 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 12 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Sedge Warbler | 17 Apr | Staines Moor | Jim Sweetland |
| Eurasian Hobby | 20 Apr | Staines Moor | Sue Middens |
| Common Tern | 20 Apr | Staines Moor | Sue Middens, Thomas Gibson |
| Common Swift | 20 Apr | Staines Moor | Thomas Gibson |
| Ring Ouzel | 21 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Whinchat | 21 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Reed Warbler | 21 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Common Whitethroat | 21 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Yellow Wagtail | 21 Apr | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Garden Warbler | 5 May | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 7 May | Staines Moor | Lee Dingain |
Coverage over the summer months was almost non-existent. After a very poor spring I really needed a long break away from the patch and so didn't make a single visit, but neither, seemingly, did many others. A Barn Owl at the south end of Staines Moor on 13th June is an unusual summer record5, and an intriguing report of a Marsh Warbler on the 27th August2 will be a site first if accepted.
Autumn passage began with a huge influx of migrant Red Admirals butterflies provided a fantastic spectacle as their feed on blackberries in their hundreds, peaking with at least 554 counted on Staines Moor and Stanwell Moor on 8th September.
| Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta feeding on blackberries, Staines Moor, 8 September 2016 |
Early October provided the autumn passage highlights. A tame Red Knot feeding beside the Colne on Staines Moor for an hour on 7th October must have been a fantastic sight and is only the third site record4. The next day the national Yellow-browed Warbler influx reached the patch with Staines Moor's first seen in a tit flock in the north-west corner6.
The first Short-eared Owl of the autumn appeared on 8th October8, with 2 together on 16th October5 and 20th October5, and the first returning Water Pipit and Jack Snipe were both noted on 22nd October. A Mediterranean Gull on 27th October is, surprisingly, only the third record for Staines Moor and a Dartford Warbler that showed up in the south-east corner of Staines Moor on 11th November is the seventh site record. 2 Jack Snipe were along the Colne on 15th November7 and a juvenile Marsh Harrier south-west over Staines Moor on 4th December1 was the last notable record of the year1.
Personally, 2016 on the patch will be remembered as a highly frustrating and infuriating year, with a huge number of hours spent in the field during spring and autumn migration in particular producing absolutely naff all. This is the nature of inland patch birding of course, but I really hope 2017 is a little better.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the following observers for reporting their records: 1Nick B, 2Ed Bates, 3John Edwards, 4Hugh Evans, 5Thomas Gibson, 6Rob Innes, 7Steve Portugal, 8Jim Sweetland and 9Jim and Tony Sweetland.
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