Images of Fox predation and reaction from the birds present 17 July 2006

This sequence of images show a Fox that arrived on the Top New Piece marsh at 0945 this morning. It was initially mobbed by Lapwing and Redshank. Many of the waders involved in this behaviour did not have young showing how co-operative they are when a predator is around. The Fox dissapeared into the rushes and emerged five minutes later with a young Shelduck. It padded it's way into the shallows before swimming the deep ditch and departing. The last image shows the natural reaction of the ducks and Moorhen present as they collectively mob the animal. The whole episode was a fascinating insight into the behaviour of the Fox, I would never have guessed they would carry prey across deep water so readily.