Croydon Ducks - South Norwood Lake

Croydon Ducks - South Norwood Lake - 2011

Latest update: 14th December 2011

External Links: Council Information Goggle Map Wikipedia Croydon RSPB

South Norwood Lake and Grounds is a 28 acre park with a large boating and fishing lake with a small island, formal gardens, woodland
walks, cricket pitch, playground, and refreshments. There are a lot of water fowl on the lake, including swans, although feeding is not
easy due to plant borders separating the lake from the path.

Best parking for the lake is in Woodvale Avenue, off Auckland Road in South Norwood. There is parking for boats, but not cars in the
park. The park is closed at night. Note that South Norwood Country Park is a different park, a couple of miles away.

The lake was built around 1800 as a reservoir for a West Croydon to Deptford canal, however the canal was not successful and the
canal bed is now the West Croydon to London Bridge railway line. Fishing is allowed by buying a license. This is well run park, with
various of manned amenities (unlike most other parks).

Wide shot of South Norwood Lake, with the sailing club in action. Many of the wild fowl use the long floating jetty as well.

The sailing boats have returned to the jetty, beyond which their clubhouse can be seen, with the cricket pitch beyond. A few water
fowl can be seen in the lake.

A Coot sitting on her nest, not sure how much she built herself.

9th April 2001, no sailing this weekend, long shot of the lonely Coot nest. The lake is artificial, with concrete walls, with 10 feet or so or
ornamental garden around the edge, with a railed path surrounding the entire lake.

There are lots of closed off fishing platform, a swan in the distance.

Once feeding starts, the wild fowl all zoom across the pond, there were just two Mute Swans on the lake.

Feeding is a challenge, since you have to throw food over the garden around the edge.

You can see the railed path and planting around the pond edge.

Another Coot nest.

Ditto.

The planting around the lake does leave plenty of room for wild fowl to wander.

22nd April 2011, the Mute Swans and Canada Geese, no young yet.

South Norwood Lake, with Crystal Palace TV transmitter mast in the distance, at another park.

November 2011, did not manage to visit during the summer, so don't know if the swans had cygnets. But the usual wild fowl are
here, Mallards, Coots, Canada Geese and Moorhens, all very hungry.

The cold weather does not stop the sailing club going out on the lake, and there are several fishermen around the lake.

This look like a small paddle boat, did not see them before, but not in use.

Not that many wild fowl on the lake, mostly near the few easy places to feed.

One of the wooded areas of the park, there were a lot of picnickers here in the warmer weather,

A fishing jetty, with a few birds waiting for food.

The sailing club coming back to it's jetty, with water fowl staying away from them.