Millers Pond, Shirley

Millers Pond is a very small park in Shirley, and comes under Croydon Council. There is a pond, which was originally one of three in the grounds of Spring Park House and farm estate.

The pond was used for watering the animals and soaking cartwheels to prevent them from shrinking. The original farm buildings no longer exist, but were situated north of the pond. You can see the second pond to the north, and the farm was west of this -

The house was demolished in the 1960s. However Croydon Council acquired the pond and surroundings in 1934 and it was named after the last farm tenants.

Today there is a small area of green as well as the pond. 

The pond is home to many waterfowl. There are Canada geese, mallards and coots, which I saw, as well as tufted ducks, grey herons and moorhens. Birds among the daisies -

 Different markings around the eyes on the above and below goose

 A coot -

Many people go to the pond to feed the birds. But as with most other public parks now, there are many notices asking people not to feed white bread to the birds -

A coot -

Mother coot and fluff balls -

There are two islands on the pond, on which the birds live and breed.

The park is now looked after by Friends of Millers Pond.