A wildlife photographer has captured a fox swimming amongst wildfowl in East Yorkshire.
The fox is a regular swimmer at RSPB Blacktoft Sands, where she has chosen to rear her young in a den on an island in the tidal reedbed.
Pete Short, the reserve’s manager, said the ducks and geese were relaxed around her in the water because they know she is “not in a position to attack them”.
The reserve said it was the second year that the fox has chosen to rear her young on the island and wildlife photographer Brian Needham caught her dip on camera.
The nature reserve has the largest tidal reedbed in England [Brian Needham]
The reserve is situated on the south bank of the River Ouse where the waterway widens into the Humber Estuary.
It has the largest tidal reedbed in England and wildfowl and waders feed and nest in the six shallow lagoons, marshland and mudflats.
It is thought the fox chose to create a den on one of the the islands there because it gives her cubs greater security.
Pete Short said the fox is not in the position to attack the birds when in water [Brian Needham]
Short explained that foxes are reluctant swimmers but are “quite adept” when they take to the water.
Although the fox would attack the wildfowl on land, they are unable to do so once in the water.
“They can’t pounce because their legs that are in water,” he said.
“So although it might be food very near to them and they might be drooling, they actually can’t pounce on to them.”
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