Latest update:31st December 2017

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 (CR0 8HT for satnavs) 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.

Older Photos of Millers Pond - 2016

2nd January 2017, still a lot of sea gulls, but also hungry ducks and geese.

The se gulls make it hard to throw food the smaller ducks, since the catch it in mid air.

Some geese and ducks hide behind the large island, which the sea gulls mostly avoid.

8th January 2017,  still good weather, several people also feeding the birds.

The small island on the pond.

29th January 2017, cooler with ice covering half of the water. 

Two Moorhens eating on the ice.  Not very thick, the geese would probably sink.

On the ice free part, a Mandarin Duck boy and girl, Mallards and Canada Geese.

Most of the birds are on the ice free water behind the island. 

Quiet on the main pond.  

5th February 2017, ice has gone, back to normal.  There's been no real snow this winter, any that fell melted within a few hours.

The domestic ducks on the island. 

12th February 2017, a very bad day for sea gulls, who swoop at any food.  

And very noisy as well. 

A Moorhen high above the stream inlet to the pond, don't often see them this far from the safety of the water. 

Behind the large island, infiltrated by some sea gulls.

19th February 2017, the sea gulls have mostly left, but four Egyptian Geese have arrived, possibly from nearby Kelsey Park where
they nest and breed in the Autumn.

Better view of the Egyptian Geese, with dark eye patches. 

A mallard looking for food amongst early flowers, very mild.

Behind the large island. 

Further around a pair of Moorhens.

And the Mandarin Duck pair, poor light so washed out photo.

 26th February 2017, only a single Egyptian Goose today. 

A Coot looking for food.

The Mandarin Ducks and another Coot.

The Canada Geese were not happy about their favorite exit from the pond being fenced off, so broke the fence. 

Still got some sea gulls. 

12th March 2017, very quiet today. 

A lot of Geese on the pond bank. 

 Still a single Egyptian Goose.

It might be a gosling from last Autumn, too young to pair off. 

The boy Mandarin seems to be on his own, hopefully the girl is on a nest. 

The Canada Geese are starting to stake out nesting sites on the large island.  

26th March 2017, a quiet pond.  

A few birds on the path.

Two Egyptian geese, so they are now resident at all the parks we visit.

Still very peaceful.

2nd April 2017, another quiet week.  

But the Coots are sitting on eggs on their massive nest.

Egyptian geese on the small island.

Some activity behind the large island, Coots and Moorhens.

A very rare visitor, a Graylag geese.  Lots at Kelsey Park a couple of miles away, but rarely here.

The large ducks group, not Mallards, but not sure of the breed.

9th April 2017, just a couple of geese, where are the rest all hiding?

A second Coot nest.

The Egyptian geese are still here. 

Get much close to the birds here than at Kelsey.

A few ducks have appeared for food, but still going home with uneaten food.

16th April 2017, another quiet day on the pond.

This Coot is still sitting on eggs.

Egyptian geese are still here.

Can not see them, but I think the Moorhen is sitting on her chicks. 

She keeps moving around, but not sitting low in the nest. 

The other Coot on her nest.

A few ducks and geese behind the large island.

The other Egyptian goose is on the beach. 

Three Mandarin boys. 

Mallard and Mandarin ducks. 

23rd April 2017, the Coot finally has chicks, little heads can be seen to left of the nest, perhaps they don't like the height. 

Geese and ducks on the small island.

The Coot with several chicks, with red beaks. 

No signs of chicks in the other nest yet.

More ducks behind the large island. 

The third Coot nest inside the duck house.

30th April 2017, yet again the pond seems quiet, but some geese on the grass.

The Coot family is a week old, but still staying close to the nest.

Although two of the Coot chicks have wandered half way around the island and is near the Moorhen nest.

The Moorhen has her chicks now, although the adults have read beaks the chicks don't yet, Coot chicks have red beaks.

The Coot comes off her nest to feed.

Lovely sight on the bank behind the large island, Mallard with about 10 ducklings.  Hard to count as they keep moving and she's sitting
on some of them.  A few days old.

The ducklings again.

All still moving around.  This was the only time I saw this complete duckling family, in the following weeks only ever saw a single duckling,
and that might not even have been this familiar, so no idea what happened to them.

Egyptian goose on the beach.

Still not much happening.

7th May 2017, the Coot chicks are now swimming with both parents.

The pond is now much more lively than in previous weeks. 

A Mallard mother with a single duckling, perhaps the one that had about 10 in a nest a week ago. 

A Moorhen chick in their nest on the small island. 

The second Coot nest, with one or two chicks and some eggs,

The first Canada geese goslings of the season.

Four goslings in all, although they don't all survive. 

The goose family again.

The third Coot family at the other end of the pond, probably living in the floating duck house. 

Only two Mandarin boys this week, not seen any girls here for a while.

The first Coot family again, now back in the nest on the small island.

14th May 2017, the Coot chicks are heading this way from the small island.  

A single gosling and the Coot chicks. 

The Moorhen family never seems to move far from their nest. 

Moorhen nest again.

The Mallard mother with her single duckling.

Coot chicks are venturing from the second nest. 

Geese and ducks behind the large island. 

Canada goose family with three goslings, not sure if this is same family as last week when there were four, or a different family.

Wider shot showing all three goslings.  

More Coot chicks in their nest. 

The Coot chicks are still playing. 

21st May 2017,  geese and ducks on the path and grass.

The Coot chicks are larger each week, perhaps now half adult size.  

The Moorhen chicks are now much larger but still staying close to their nest on the island. 

Moorhen family again.

Mix of ducks and geese, and more Coot chicks near their nest on the island. 

The three Canada geese goslings are down the other end of the pond. 

As is the third Coot family.

Coot parents keep offering food to their chicks even when they seem able to find themselves. 

28th May 2017, numerous ducks and geese just inside the park gates. 

Including two goslings. 

Strangely, the two goslings are different sizes, they could be different ages from two families, or perhaps one is slower growing.  We
are told by a local that a dog off a lead killed the third gosling. 

The Coot chicks are almost fully grown. 

More ducks behind the large island.

The third Coot family.

This mother seems to be sitting on new eggs. 

The Coot family back in their nest.

4th June 2017, everyone is very hungry, heading our way as we walk in the park gate. 

Including the two Canada goose goslings. 

The Mallard duckling is now a month old. 

Much busier than earlier in spring.

The four large ducks come out of the water for food.

More geese near the small island.

And near the beach.

Hard to tell the size of these coot chicks.

There are also at least two pairs of Tufted ducks here, one is left front, with the Coot chicks near. 

11th June 2017, a male Mandarin duck on the grass just inside the park gate.  

The coot family looking for food. 

Joined by Canada geese.

The two goslings.

A turtle has taken over the Coot nest. 

The goose family again.

Not sure where these Mallards are heading. 

A lot of activity at the far end of the pond.

25th June 2017, only one duck on the grass today.

But lots of geese heading our way for food.

Less competition for food on the ground.

A Moorhen and chick heading our way. 

A Moorhen family on the small island. 

A Mallard family below the feeding jetty.

Geese and ducks behind the large island. 

Still hungry, stalking me on the beach.

A Coot family, still with red faces.

2nd July 2017, most of the birds are at the other feeding jetty near the small island.

Mallard with a single duckling.

The boy Mallard are molting their grey feathers and turning brown for summer.

Several ducklings can be seen here.

And now near the pond the edge.

Three ducklings with mother, probably three weeks old.

Another Mallard family arrives, seven ducklings, unusual here where predators usually mean lower numbers, probably one week old.

The ducklings are surrounded by geese. 

Two ducklings under the feeding jetty.

And now joined by many more birds.

Feathers everywhere, clearing a favorite molting place.

The large Mallard family is down the far end of the pond in the safety of the vegetation.

9th July 2017, pond seems quiet today, initially.

But hungry Coots zooming over the water. 

A dark ducking, not a Mallard, but what? 

More birds have come for food. 

Heading back to the small island with the Coot nest. 

But it's not a Coot in the nest, it's a Tufted duck.  The Coot is centre picture.

Not entirely sure what is happening here, the Mallard has several ducklings to the right,  and those look like Coot chicks on the left.

The Mallard duckings can be seen more clearly out of the water.

The Tufted duck sitting on the Coot nest, probably sitting on her own ducklings who we see later.  

The Mallard ducklings again.

Last time there was one turtle on the other Coot nest, now there are two turtles and some rubbish.

I think this is the male Mandarin duck having molted most of his colourful feathers.

The Mallard family on the feather covered ground, about six weeks old.

Mallard family again.

Geese looking for more food.

Don't often see fish here, but a large carp.

The new Mallard family is now at the far end of the pond.

And now eating duck pellets.

At least until the larger ducks arrive. 

The Tufted duck is now off the Coot nest and has seven ducklings.

The Tufted duck family swimming away. 

Now we can see two Mallard ducklings, and five Tufted ducklings, it does get very confusing. But a successful breeding season for
ducks at least, several families, although many chicks lost.

23rd July 2017, the geese are so hungry they come running as we enter the park gate.

Still a lot of duckling in the pond, very few in other parks. 

Several Coot chicks can be seen spread out along the island edge.

Mallard and Tufted Duck ducklings.

The Coot is not pleased with the turtle occupying her nest. 

Around the pond at the beach, a Mallard mother and five ducklings, about three weeks old. 

The duck family, with two Moorhens. . 

Also some Coot chicks here. 

30th July 2017, two geese and the Tufted Duck family.

The ducklings are joined by Mallards  

A week later, the Coot still has not regained possession of her nest from the turtle, who needs the warmth of the sun. 

The Mallard duckling family.

Another Mallard family, almost fully grown. 

Wider view of the older Mallard family.

13th August 2017, seems a little quieter this week. 

But other ducks and geese arrive for food. 

A lot of whom prefer to wait on the path for food.

There are still ducklings here.  The turtle can just be seen in the distance, top left. 

Close up of the turtle, barely out of water, the pond level is rising after rain. 

Rarely see the turtle move, but today it disappears back under water.  

Further around the pond the older Mallard family is on the water this week. 

The Tufted ducklings. getting larger.

20th August 2017, mallards and geese.

The Coot family around their nest on the small island. 

The ducks and geese are still hungry.

Following me around the pond.

The ducklings are now mostly fully grown so hard to identify. 

A lot of birds behind the large island. 

View back to the pond from behind the large island.

Probably a duckling family.

Certainly a Coot family on the nest in the centre of the pond.

27th August 2017, looks like the Tufted Duck family centre picture, but similar colouring to Mallards. 

The Coot family in the distance near the path. 

Near the small island, geese and ducks

Not sure why the ducks have a fascination with this part of the shore, maybe they like sunbathing.

Probably the fully grown Mallard family. 

Ducks and geese are still following me around the pond, looking for food.

3rd September 2017, appears to be mostly Canada Geese today.

Quieter than earlier in the summer. 

A pair of solid brown coloured ducks, could be Mandarin or Tufted ducklings before they get their final colours.

Always competition for the Coot nests, now taken over by a duck.  

Hungry ducks and geese by the small island.

And the fully gown ducklings still on the far side of the pond. 

10th September 2017, lots of hungry geese swimming our way.

An Egyptian Goose is here as well. 

And following me around the pond.

Don't seem to be any duckling left. 

Apart perhaps from this family.

An adventurous chick looking for food. 

17th September 2017, it really is quiet here, all the ducklings have flown away. No sea gulls yet. Eating half the bread of earlier weeks.

The birds are really not that hungry now, lots of natural food. 

Beside the large island.

A couple of ducks on the far side.

There is always a hungry goose. 

Not many here, but they are still following me. 

24th September 2017, peaceful is the word again.  

No ducklings, hardly any geese, no sea gulls.  

But still a Coot chick on the nest. 

Most of the birds seem to hiding on the small island, not interested in food.

15th October 2017, a few more birds than last time, but still peaceful.

Don't often see water fowl in the trees, but a Moorhen is up this one for some reason. 

A little busier behind he large island.

A new short path and two new park benches allow a good view of the pond without needing to negotiate the winter mud.

A few ducks and geese are hungry.

22nd October 2017, some sea gulls are back for the winter.  

A few geese and ducks near the small island.

And following me. 

29th October 2017, more hungry sea gulls.

Getting noisy with the sea gulls chasing any food.

5th November 2017, the geese and ducks are hungry.

But the sea gull often catch bread in the air before it reaches the water.   So need to feed near the pond edge. 

Quieter around the large island where the trees make it harder for the sea gulls to flock.

19th November 2017, seems quieter. 

But still some hungry birds.

No gulls behind the large island.

26th November 2017, hungry birds following me.

Chaos on the beach, too many sea gulls.

One of the Egyptian geese.

Tranquil in the winter sun.

3rd December 2017, not tranqui atall, too many noisy sea gulls again.

Not that hungry though.

Two Egyptian Geese behind the large island, easy to feed here.

17th December 2017, a little ice on the pond today, sea gulls skating on it.

An unusual bird, looks like a sea gull but same size as the Mallard.

24th December 2017, not as many sea gulls today, not many ducks either. 

31st December 2017, sea gulls are back again.

The two Egyptian Geese.

A lot of ducks behind the large island. 

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