The Shorties of Staines

I have known for some years that Short-Eared owls winter here from Scandinavia but I have never been to see them before. This year is a bumper year apparently, which is good to hear and at Staines Moor, where I was kindly taken by some photographic friends, there were at least 7.

Staines Moor sits beside the M25, Heathrow and much water (map courtesy of OpenStreetMaps).

Its fairly easy to get to from London but you’ll need to dress for water, so boots and weather gear. The owls appear from around 1pm onwards and clearly find this spot attractive, so their must be plenty for them to eat.

The moor has been common land since 1065. As well as the Moor, the area consists of several reservoirs, important for bird life and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is quite boggy at this time of year and has a river running through it.

There’s no peace for the owls of course, they are buzzed by crows and magpies the moment they land.

They are fabulous creatures but if you go, please remember they are wild animals and need a little space. Weekends are probably out, as disappointingly, some photographers do not follow the rules and get too close, which is sad for my community. I was pleased to see that on the day I went, there were around 15 or so photographers dotted around but we kept our distance and let the owls come to us, which they did on numerous occasions. If you do go please be sure to share your experience with me.