Lloyd Park, Croydon

Lloyd Park was originally part of the Coombe Estate. Before the newspaper magnate Frank Lloyd, who then owned the Coombe Estate, died in 1927 he had the idea of presenting some of the land to Croydon Corporation for use as playing fields. After his death, his daughter carried out her father’s wishes and the land was given to the Corporation and still bears his name. Some of the land was ploughed up in the Second World War as part of the war effort to grow crops.

Location: Lloyd Park lies alongside Coombe Road (where there is a small car park near the tram stop), with access points also from Lloyd Park Avenue, Deepdene Avenue and Mapledale Avenue.

Public transport: Tramlink - Lloyd Park stop

Habitat: Most of the site is intensively managed grassland, including playing fields and a children’s’ playground with some wooded areas and small groups of trees mainly on the higher ridge of land. There is also a series of springs, most of which simply form damper areas in the woodland. The largest spring is in an adjacent private garden where it forms a pond before becoming a very short stream which flows into the park.

Species: A mixture of the more common species may be found here, and was one of the first sies in Croydon where Ring-necked Parakeet bred. Woodcock has been recorded here in recent winters. Little Owl has been recorded near the tram stop. Redstarts, Wheatears and Spotted Flycatchers are occasionally recorded on passage and Redpolls are sometimes found in the winter.

''This page has been made using information taken from the Croydon Birders website, but could benefit from being reformated to standard for this site. More information, including a map, can also be found on the RSPB Croydon Local Group website (www.croydon-rspb.org.uk)''