Not so crafty! Furious swan chases fox into lake after it tries to steal cygnets from her nest
- The swan leaped at the fox at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes to protect her young during the mating season
- Incredible images were caught on camera by photographer Lee Michael Willcocks, 47 last Wednesday
- Mr Willcocks from Milton Keynes described catching the experience on camera as ‘extremely intense’
Advertisement
A feisty swan has been caught chasing a fox into a lake in a bid to protect her nest.
Lee Michael Willcocks, 47, from Milton Keynes, took the images on May 13 while visiting Willen Lake.
The images show the angry swan chasing the fox as it’s forced to swim in the water to escape a fight.
A swan alert to a daring fox trying to raid her nest attempts to chase it away at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes
Extending her wings at full span she steers the fox away from the nest and deeper into the lake to protect her cygnets
Materials Inspector Lee Willcocks, who captured the images on camera, said: ‘the whole experience was extremely intense’
It is the mating season for swans in Britain and plenty of cygnets up and down the country are being produced. However this also provides predatory opportunities for foxes hoping to find a meal for their growing cubs.
Lee, a materials inspector, said: ‘Two swans, one male and another female were protecting their nest.
‘I found the whole experience extremely intense, the fox knew it couldn’t turn back as that would have taken longer due to being in water, and it had to keep the drag as low as possible, or that would of slowed any chance of escaping in one piece.
‘Knowing Swans it would have used its powerful wings to beat it and drown it with its size.’
Dancing across the lake the fox was likely looking for swan eggs as a meal in an attempt to feed its young cubs
Beaten for now, the fox heads away from the swan nest following the incident last Wednesday at Willen Lake
The fox continues to paddle away having been scared off by the intimidating swan as it looks for a meal to feed its cubs
Mr Willcocks, who is also a photographer, captured the stunning wildlife images last Wednesday while visiting the lake