Non-stop swan rescues: ice traps, road chases, and crash landings!

What an insanely busy day it’s been! Our first call came in about a cygnet seen on the ice last night, appearing unresponsive. Volunteer Bernadette went to investigate, as some time had passed since the initial sighting, and we needed to determine whether a rescuer was needed. Bernadette located the cygnet and confirmed it needed help. Scott attended the scene and found the youngster exhausted, extremely hungry, and with fishing line tightly wrapped around one leg. The cygnet was brought into care, given warmth, food, and had the fishing line carefully removed. After a few hours of recovery, she was released into the Willen Lake flock. Next, we headed to Woburn Sands, where several new swans had flown in. Two of the newcomers had paired off, making the others unwelcome. This led to some being aggressively chased into the road. Scott secured two of the displaced swans before Josh and I arrived to assist. Unfortunately, a third swan—a young one—remains at the site as we ran out of daylight, and he kept his distance. Local residents are keeping watch, and we’ll follow up tomorrow. After Woburn Sands, Josh and Scott took the two rescued swans to Furzton for release and combined it with responding to a report of another cygnet trapped on the ice. Meanwhile, I headed to Old Farm Park to assist a cygnet that had crash-landed into a small residential garden. The cygnet on the ice managed to free itself when approached, but it appeared very subdued and will need to be monitored. We’ll follow up tomorrow. As for the crash-landed cygnet, he’s now in our care. He’s sporting a stylish wing support bandage for the next few days—nothing is broken, but he’s bruised and in shock. With some rest and TLC, he’ll be back on his feet soon. Please remember that we are all volunteers, juggling full-time jobs, families, and other commitments alongside our dedication to these beautiful birds. If you’d like to support our ongoing rescue efforts with a one-off or monthly donation, you can visit: https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/