Croydon Ducks - Kelsey Park

Croydon Ducks - Kelsey Park - 2016

Latest update: 28th December 2016

External Links: Council Information and Map Google Map Friends of Kelsey Park Wikipedia

Kelsey Park is situated in Beckenham, just outside the Croydon boundary and not that far from Elmers End and South Norwood Country
Park. It is a long park with a river flowing through, with large lakes and ponds, and many formal gardens. Kelsey Park is owned by
Bromley Council and is about 100 years old.

There are entrances all around the park, with road parking only, Kelsey Park Road (BR3 6LJ for satnavs) in the north, Manor Way
west side (BR3 3LJ, entrance top and near the middle of the road), Wickham Road (BR3 8QW) east side (only entrance near
southern end) which is close to the cafe and play ground, and Stone Park Avenue (BR3 3LT) along the southern border. The better
borders and planting appear to be the west side. Unfortunately, the west side of the park is barred to dogs (even on leads).

Older Photos of Kelsey Park - 2015

3rd April 2016, a rare warm sunny day, the park had a lot of visitors. The stream leaves the park on it's way to the Thames.

The stream near the top of the park, rarely see any ducks or geese here.

The waterfall at the end of the top lake, often see duck families around here, but not yet.

The top lake is very quiet, a few Mallards and Canada Geese.

Never seen this view before, a vast number of plants have been cut back so the length of the upper lake can be seen.

Same place looking north to the small pond and upper waterfall.

Always get some Mallards waiting for food here.

Don't often see Mallards sitting in trees, but they will build nests if they find a suitable hole.

One Coot has already built a nest and is sitting on eggs.

The formal garden by the visitor centre.

Quiet on the main lake.

But heron island is busy as every spring, with nesting herons.

Mallard pair with a lone egg, unlikely to be a nest here, only a few feet from a busy path.

Heron island again.

Only saw a single swan on this visit. The family of cygnets last seen in November seem to have left the park.

Looking toward the play ground.

Don't usually see this view of the small island in the main lake either, everything has been cut back. It's possible there's a swan nest
on the island, since the swan is circling the island.

The bottom pond from the bridge. Quiet here as well.

Looking back down the main lake at the small island.

A pair of Mandarin Ducks.

The swan is still circling the small island.

Even more heron nests are visible from the other side of the large island.

Heron hests can be substantial structures! A heron on the top nest shouting at the neighbours a little lower.

Looking up the main lake to heron island.

Not sure of the breed here, could be a strange coloured Mallard.

30th May 2016, most of the ducks are out of the water on the top pond.

But the park has few visitors today and the ducks are hungry, so follow me as I walk up the path.

Ducks and geese appear from all over the place.

Further along the path, maybe 20 Mandarin and Mallard ducks on the grass.

All very hungry, they ate most of a loaf of bread, joined by pigeons. Interesting to note the male Mandarin colour scheme does vary,
there are subtle colour differences between birds.

A couple of Coots on the grass as well. The femail Mandarins are grey and brown, no red or blue, so they are less visible on a nest.

And they are following me down the path as well, joined by Canada Geese from the water.

Still hungry.

Not many birds on the main lake, hut Heron Island still has a lot of active nests.

The swan is being quite aggressive, chasing Greylag Geese out of the water.

A Mallard duckling, probably six weeks old.

Still few people feeding, so following me.

The swan finally comes for some bread.

Two of the heron nests on the island.

Further up the lake, the reason for the agreesive swan become clear, his partner and seven cygnets.

Two Call Ducks out of the water.

Mother swan brings three of the cygnets to the feeding area.

And the rest follow, eating duck pellets.

Mother is also quite aggressive, chasing away any ducks or geese that get too close to her family.

Standing guard while they eat.

Two Greylag goslings on the grass.

Hungry as well, probably four weeks old.

These were the only goslings I saw in the park.

By the bottom lake bridge, another Mallard family, four ducklings.

Joined by geese and other ducks.

The ducklings seem quite tame, eating pellets off the path next to park visitors, and Egyptian Goose is also hungry.

Mother trying to keep her ducklings close.

The Egyptian goose again.

The bottom pond is very quiet.

But quite a few ducks and geese under the bridge, I suspect this is another Mallard family, almost fully grown.

Now being joined by the duck family that was feeding on the path.

A female Mandarin duck with her wings spread out, possibly sitting on very young ducklings. This is a long zoom photo, she was a good
distance from path down a steep bank.

A Coot sitting on her nest.

The swan family is now all together, still where I was feeding them on the other side of the lake. The herons will eat ducklings and
cygnets, they are a major threat, Heron Island is very close.

Another Coot nest, incorporating park litter.

Futher around the lake, a Moorhen, Coots and Mallards.

A large carp fish is visible in pond below the main watefall, also possible heron food.

Finally, back where I started, few ducks here.

26th June 2016, a lot of rain in the last two weeks, the stream and waterfall are in full flow.

Only ducks on the upper pond today, Mallards, Coots and Moorhens.

All quite hungry, the poor weather means fewer park visitors.

Not as many ducks on the grass bank as last visit.

There are a few Mandarin ducks here, mostly without their brightly coloured feathers.

More Mandarins swim in from around the lake.

Only a few ducks on the path.

There are a couple of brightly coloured Mandarins.

One of the swans comes looking for food.

While the rest of the swans seven cygnets and a parent, swim up the main lake.

A Coot family, not sure where they nest, water too deep for their normal nests and stone walls.

The swan family has reached one of the feeding areas.

Still too many herons on the lake, looking for easy prey, ducklings.

Most of the Canada geese seem to be on the bottom lake.

Two Egyption Geese on the bottom pond, a third is around the corner. There are also two more at South Norwood Country Park with
goslings, and perhaps two more at Waddon Ponds. Perhaps breeding well.

The Egyption Geese again.

The third Egyption Goose.

The swan family have now swum across the lake to where I took the last photo, so no close ups this week.

Two Mallard ducklings, hope they survive the herons, very few ducklings here today.

And no goslings either.

A lot of activity on Heron Island, Greylag Geese and Mallards.

5th August 2016, lots of hungry birds on the top pond.

Bright sunshine and lots of shadows make photography challenging. The ducks and geese are following me.

Several Manadrin ducks on the grass, the boys have lost their brightly coloured feathers so look like girls.

More Mandarins and some Mallards on the grass.

And more Mandarins and Mallards on the higher lake.

Only ever see Greylag geese on the main lake, never on the higher lake and pond. Lots of birds swimming my way.

Heron island has few herons now.

Greylag geese following me.

The swan family, the seven cygnets don't get white feathers until next year.

The swans again.

Lots of hungry Canada Geese.

A Coot family.

Geese and ducks waiting for food near the playground.

Egyption Goose in the foreground.

And now two Egyptian Geese up a tree on Heron Island. They nest on the island, perhaps in an old heron nest, in August and September.

2nd September 2016, not as many geese and ducks on the upper pond as some visits, but all still hungry.

The upper lake has many more ducks and geese.

Mallards and Coots feeding.

The Mandarin ducks seem to live on this lawn.

Two male Mandarin in full colour.

And one sad looking Mandarin still growing new feathers.

Even more Mandarins on the grass, very hungry.

More ducks on the lake.

Two male Mallards fighting, probably over a mate. They pair off for the winter, and mate in spring.

Greylag geese near the main lake.

One Egyptian Goose, hopefully the other one is sitting on a nest on Heron Island.,

The three geese in a row, Canada, Greylag and Egyptian.

The swan family is on the far side of the lake.

But still lots of hungry birds this side.

The lower pond from the bridge.

More Mandarins on this pond.

The main lake from the bridge.

Two cygnets seem are separated from the swan famly, perhaps eating berries.

More greylag geese.

A Tufted Duck family, five ducklings, only ones I saw today, most will be fully grown by now.

The Tufted Ducks keep diving.

The rest of the swan family.

The main lake from near the playground.

Not sure if this is a young heron.

19th October 2016, a school day so the park is peaceful. Hungry birds following me.

Lots of Mallards eating.

The Mandarin ducks have their bright colours back for the winter.

Exiting the pond looking for food.

Another Mandarin duck.

The squirrel is impatient for food and has climbed my leg.

And does not want to let go.

More Mallards and Mandarins on the grass.

A Mandarin pair on the water.

It's been mostly dry for many weeks, not much flow over the waterfall.

Numerous sea gulls on the main lake, they catch almost all food before it reaches the water. So the greylag geese just get closer.

The swan family.

Half head to the other side of the lake to be fed, the others swim my way.

One of the six month old cygnets, still grey.

Three cygnets now.

Joined by the parents. Not sure what's happened to the othe four cygnets, perhaps elsewhere on the lake or flown away.

Unfortunately I've already fed almost all my three loaves of bread, so little left to feed them,

The bottom pond from the bridge, no feed left for them.

The main lake from the bridge.

A hungry heron.

18th December 2016, poor light today, surprising number of park visitors feeding the birds. Shubbery cut well back for winter so good
views of the ponds and lakes from the paths.

Lots of ducks heading my way.

Not too many sea gulls here, so the ducks and geese get fed.

Large numbers of male and female Mandarins, with their proper colours.

The Mandarins seem to have taken over this floating nest raft, not enough materials for nest building. Only the Coots will collect twigs
for nest from any distance.

Everyone is still hungry.

It has hardly rained in the last few weeks so evewn less flow over the waterfall than last visit.

Hundreds of sea gulls on the main lake, with few geese and coots.

The swan family looking for food.

The three cygnets have still not got their adult white.

Hard to feed any ducks or swans when the sea gulls swoop so fast on dropped food.

A surprise at the bottom of the park, the Egyptian geese have two goslings, must have hatched early autumn, not quite fully grown
yet, probably two months old.

The goslings fighting pigeons for food.

The Egyptian goslings seems to have darker necks than the adults.

The Egyptian Goose family heading back to the safety of thw lake.

And finally Egyptian Geese resting in two pairs on the other side of the lake.