Latest update: 11th January 2012

External Links: Council Information  Goggle Map  Friends of Millers Pond 

Millers Pond is a small four acre park in Shirley surrounded by housing, main entrance in Shirley Way, south of the Wickham Road,
best parking in Worcester Close on the east side of the park.

The park was acquired by the council in the 1930s, and is well looked after by the Friends of Millers Pond. It is very popular with dog
walkers and families, and the vast number of water fowl on such a small pond suggest the locals keep them well fed.

Millers Pond park, half is kept close cut, the rest rough, the pond in the distance.

The main entrance gate to Miller Pond park from Shirley Way, lots of planting and shrubs.

8 August 2011, view across Millers Pond, with a lot of Canada Geese sleeping on the small island.

Small island on the left, beach in the distance.

The paths are very open with no fences, so dog leads recommended to stop them jumping in the water.

The pond beach, the water edge is built from concrete with embedded pebbles to make it very safe and prevent erosion, safe for dog
paddling.  A mix of Canada Geese and Mallards here.

The large island on the right, small island in the distance.

There is a very overgrown stream behind the large island, almost impossible to access but safe for birds.

Large island on the left, small island on the right.

Lots of Canada Geese on the small island.

22nd August 2011, morning visit with lots of hungry Canada Geese and a few Mallards.

Not sure of this duck.

The geese have already eaten one loaf of bread, but are still hungry so follow us around the pond looking  for more food.  Another beach
and jetty in the distance on the large island.

Geese are still looking for food.

And have been joined by some Mallards are well.

Finally left the geese behind eating duck pellets.

Mostly Mallards in this corner of the pond.

They have now all moved over to the beach, still hungry.

11th September 2011, lots of very hungry geese, following me along the path waiting to be fed. 

Still following me around the pond, now on the beach.

But there are still many mallards on the pond, mainly around the large island.  Note the males of now got their winter colours back.

A mixture of Canada Geese and Mallards, run out of food for them now.

The resident heron on the large island in Millers Pond, there are a lot of fish in the water.

Not sure of the species of this duck.

2nd October 2001, Millers Pond is almost deserted, less than 10 Canada Geese left, six can be seen here, but there are a lot of Mallards
around and on the two islands.  Lots of people trying to feed the birds, but they are not really hungry.

The remaining geese on the beach.  One of the regular walkers at the pond explained that fish had been dying in the pond due to low
water level and pollution from the large number of geese.  The lack of rain in September had not helped.  So the council came in with nets
and trawls and caught about 50 carp and two turtles (that had been eating ducklings) which have been taken away to recover.  But this
operation upset the geese and caused them to leave the pond, probably for one of the larger local ponds, maybe South Norwood Country
Park or Kelsey Park in Beckenham. Maybe they will come back in a few weeks when they realise how well fed they were here.

A very quiet Millers Pond.

23rd October 2001, what a difference a couple of weeks makes, the pond is alive again with a large number of hungry geese and sea birds,
waiting for food and following us around the pond.

Not sure why various parks are suddenly full of sea birds, maybe they over winter here.

Another view of the pond.

There are also a couple of dozen Canada Geese in the middle of the park, 100 yards from the pond, not sure why since there is no
obvious food source or shelter, they now play follow the leader and slowly waddle back into the pond.

And yet more geese behind the island, with a few Mallards.

November 2011, the pond is still very busy, Mallards and Canada Geese immediately leave the pond pestering for food.

(Caption)

There are still a lot of Canada Geese and too many sea birds.

Lots of Canada Geese at the pond beach.

Still hungry, but not quite  as many sea birds.

December 2011, not as many Canada Geese this visit, but still dozens of Mallards and hundreds of seas birds.

And yet again following us around the pond looking for more food.

The sea birds seem reluctant to leave the water, so the Mallards get most of the duck pellets for themselves.

First time we've seen a Cormorant at Millers Pond.  Not sure if the pond has been restocked with fish yet.

December 2011, a very cold day, there's a water inlet just below where the photo was taken, sufficient to prevent ice forming around
the island in the pond. Lots of Mallards, seas birds and few Canada Geese.

But over half of the main pond is covered in ice, beyond the small island, so can only feed the birds on this side of the pond.

An unidentified bird?

Ice covering part of Millers Pond, a Coot trying to peck through the ice and two sea birds skating on the ice.  The Canada Geese are
staying in the unfrozen water behind.  There was no ice on my garden pond, two miles away.

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