Wraysbury & Staines Reservoir
September 9th 2006

Two cars left Hemel in glorious sunshine & arrived at Wraysbury station car park at about 08.15. As we got out of the cars a screeching sound was heard and six Ring-necked Parakeets flew over our heads.

We set of over the railway bridge and along the side of the river. We could hear many birds but they were difficult to see with all the vegetation & leaves on the trees & bushes.

We crossed the railway line and entered the area of lakes. We saw six types of duck, Great Crested grebe with very small young & Little Grebes. Many Cormorants were roosting in the trees along the edge of the lake.

We stopped along the way by a tree that was buzzing with birds, including Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit & Long-tailed Tit. A Kingfisher was seen as it flashed by over the water.

We crossed the river to an area of scrub & open land. A pair of Whinchat were perching obligingly at the top of a bush. On the horizon four Buzzards were riding the thermals.

We started back towards the vehicles, stopping to chat to a group of bird ringers. They informed us that they had rung eight species of warbler that morning. Whilst we were there they showed us a Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Bullfinch, Blue tit & Long-tailed tit in the hand.

Having reached our cars we set off for Staines Reservoir.

Here we saw many Ruddy duck, a common Tern, Lapwings, Linnet & Pied Wagtails. We saw a distant wader which through elimination decided that it was a Dunlin.

Although the birds were not spectacular an enjoyable morning was had by all.

Dave Jones (photographs by Stuart Harrison)