MK Swan Rescue CIC

03/06/2026

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03/06/2026

Today’s rescue was a perfect example of why routine checks matter and why having a team spread across Milton Keynes makes such a difference.

Our team photographer Christine was at Willen carrying out one of her regular flock checks and taking photographs when she noticed something wasn’t right with one of the swans on the slipway.

The swan was standing but unable to hold her head up, with her neck hanging down in a very unusual position. Although there were no obvious visible injuries, the behaviour was concerning enough that it needed investigating.

Christine immediately raised the alarm and the team sprang into action.

Tam was the first to volunteer to attend. Despite being one of our newer team members, there was no hesitation. She headed straight to site to make sure the swan could be safely secured while Emma quickly offered to assist.

Tam did not have a swan wrap with her, but that didn’t stop her responding. By the time Emma arrived with equipment from her car, Tam had already safely contained the swan and remained with her until further help arrived.

Meanwhile, Christine was doing what Christine does best, documenting the rescue every step of the way. We always appreciate having photographs of rescues, but I think she secretly enjoys it even more when she gets to be part of the action herself!

After finishing work, Carina headed straight over to collect the swan and take her into care for further assessment and observation.

At the moment there is nothing obvious jumping out as being wrong with this girl, but her behaviour was unusual enough that intervention was absolutely justified. We are hopeful that she may need nothing more than some rest, monitoring and a chance to recover somewhere safe, but we will keep an eye on her and update if needed.

A huge thank you to Christine, Tam, Emma and Carina for another great example of teamwork in action.

If you’d like to support rescues like this, please consider making a donation or purchasing an item from our wish-list.

Donate: https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Amazon wish-list: https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

Volunteer enquiries: [email protected]

Please also follow the MK Swan Rescue page and help us reach more people across Milton Keynes. Every follow, share and comment helps wildlife get the help it needs.

03/06/2026

Wishlist thank you, arrived today - no name but thank you ❤️🦢

02/06/2026

A huge well done to Angela, Tam and Jack this evening for helping reunite two missing cygnets with their family.

This particular swan family has been very much on our minds this year. Last year, they tragically lost all of their cygnets following an oil spill on the canal they call home. Despite everyone’s best efforts, it was a heartbreaking outcome, so seeing their nine cygnets thriving this year means a great deal to all of us.

When a call came in reporting two cygnets trapped inside a half-sunken boat, we immediately suspected it was this family. The cygnets had reportedly been stuck there since the previous day, with no sign of their parents nearby.

Angela and Tam attended and safely retrieved the youngsters before beginning the challenge of finding the rest of the family. After speaking with people on site and covering a considerable stretch of canal on foot, they initially thought they had found the right swans, only to discover it was a different pair entirely and not the missing family they were searching for.

With help from Jack, who knows the area well, the search continued. Between everyone involved, the parents and their remaining seven cygnets were eventually located and the two missing youngsters were successfully reunited with their family.

This is exactly the outcome we always hope for. Two cygnets safely back where they belong, with mum, dad and their siblings.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, and to the member of the public who took the time to report the situation. We wish this special family and all nine cygnets the very best for the future.

If you’d like to support rescues like this, please consider making a donation to help us continue responding to wildlife emergencies across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas: https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

You can also support us through our Amazon wish-list: https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

If you’d like to volunteer with MK Swan Rescue, please email [email protected]

Please follow the MK Swan Rescue page to help us reach more people and continue helping local wildlife.

01/06/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who has purchased items from the MK Swan Rescue Amazon wish-list recently.

Over the last week alone we have received puppy pads, disinfectant, mixed corn, floating pellets, Leucillin spray, cutters, F10 spray, hydrocolloid dressing pads, and a variety of other much-needed supplies.

The support has honestly been incredible, and every single item helps us continue caring for injured, orphaned and vulnerable waterbirds across Milton Keynes.

If we’re honest, we probably haven’t even remembered everything that has arrived over the last week, which says a lot about the generosity of our supporters right now.

What makes this thank you a little unusual is that none of the recent deliveries have included details of who sent them, so unfortunately we can’t thank people individually.

Please know that your kindness has not gone unnoticed. Every box that arrives is one less thing we need to purchase ourselves and one more resource that can go directly towards helping the birds that need us.

From all of us at MK Swan Rescue, thank you for your generosity, your support, and for believing in what we do. We genuinely couldn’t do it without you.

If you would like to support our work, our Amazon wish-list can be found here:
https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

You can also support our rescue work through donations:
https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Please also follow the MK Swan Rescue page and help us continue raising awareness for local wildlife.

Help MK Swan Rescue protect and rehabilitate swans in need. Your donation supports rescue efforts, medical care, and safe habitats. Donate today to save local wildlife.

01/06/2026

May was another busy month for MK Swan Rescue, and the statistics highlight some clear trends in the challenges facing local waterbirds.

During May, the team attended 86 incidents involving swans, geese and ducks across Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. As always, the statistics only tell part of the story, but they help paint a picture of the welfare issues we are seeing on the ground.

One of the most concerning figures this month was the 17 fishing tackle incidents we attended. Fishing tackle continues to be one of the biggest welfare issues affecting local waterbirds, and several of the birds we dealt with had been suffering for some time before being found.

Whilst many tackle incidents can be resolved by removing the line or hook and releasing the bird immediately, that was not always possible this month. We admitted several birds into care because their injuries were simply too severe for immediate release. These included birds with significant swelling caused by line restricting circulation, birds that had lost mobility due to prolonged entanglement, and a Canada goose with a deeply embedded hook in its foot which had clearly been present for a considerable period of time.

What is particularly concerning is that several of these tackle incidents were not reported at all. They were discovered purely because our team was carrying out routine welfare checks and monitoring local flocks.

Among those cases were a greylag gosling whose feet had become badly bound together by fishing line, an adult greylag goose with severe line entanglement restricting circulation to both feet, a Canada goose with an old embedded hook that had clearly been present for a long time, and another Canada goose with a newly embedded hook, a fresh wound, and a significant amount of trailing line. None of these birds had been reported before we found them.

The sooner these injuries are reported, the sooner they can be dealt with, and the less suffering the bird has to endure.

At the same time, we would also like to thank everyone who contacted us during May to report concerns, injuries and tackle incidents. Many successful rescues began with a phone call from an angler, bailiff, walker, local resident, or other member of the public who had spotted a bird in difficulty and taken the time to let us know.

In fact, during the final week of May alone, three separate swan tackle incidents were reported immediately by anglers. Whilst we would always prefer these incidents did not happen in the first place, prompt reporting meant we could respond quickly and give those birds the best possible chance. We genuinely appreciate that cooperation and support.

Admissions into care were also higher than we would normally expect. However, this was not solely due to injury. May is very much fluffy season, and throughout the month we dealt with orphaned ducklings, goslings, trapped youngsters, vulnerable family groups and babies requiring specialist support. Spring and early summer are always our busiest periods for young birds, and this year has been no exception.

Many of the issues we deal with are not found through emergency calls alone. A significant amount of our work comes from proactive welfare checks, monitoring known flocks and keeping an eye on birds that local people may walk past every day. Several of this month’s more serious cases were identified in exactly that way.

As always, thank you to everyone who reported concerns, supported our work, and helped us keep watch over Milton Keynes’ waterbirds throughout the month.

If you see a bird in difficulty, please call us on 07340 227005.

If you would like to support our work, please consider making a donation or purchasing an item from our Amazon wish-list.

Donate: https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Amazon wish-list: https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

Volunteer enquiries: [email protected]

Please follow the MK Swan Rescue page and help us continue raising awareness for local wildlife.

30/05/2026

Another day, another tackle incident.

Honestly, we are so tired of seeing it. Right now, it feels as though most of our call-outs involve fishing line, hooks, or tackle-related injuries. This one, however, was very much a case of being in the right place at the right time.

We were carrying out a routine flock check, something we do regularly as part of our proactive monitoring work. A huge part of what we do is keeping an eye on local waterbirds and trying to identify problems before they become emergencies.

Unfortunately, for this greylag goose, the problem had already developed.

In what felt like an incredible coincidence, she appeared in almost exactly the same location where we had rescued a tackled greylag gosling just a few days earlier. As we watched, she came up onto the bank right in front of us and it was immediately obvious something was badly wrong.

Both of her feet were purple-blue.

Fishing line had become wrapped around and around her legs and feet so many times that it had effectively bound them together. The circulation was being cut off and had clearly been compromised for some time.

Normally, greylag geese can be extremely difficult to catch, but this girl barely resisted. It genuinely felt as though she knew she needed help.

Working together, Angela, Tam and I carefully secured her and removed every single piece of line we could find. Some of it had become deeply embedded and had been rubbing and constricting her legs for who knows how long.

The poor thing was thin and hungry, so while we worked, Angela kept her occupied with food. Once all the line had been removed, we spent time gently massaging her feet and legs to encourage blood flow back into the tissues.

Slowly, the colour began to change.

The frightening purple-blue started turning red as circulation returned.

Had this not been found when it was, there is a very real possibility she would have lost both feet. More likely, she would not have survived.

Once we were satisfied that blood flow was returning properly, we released her back onto the lake and stayed to observe her.

At first, her legs looked stiff and awkward. She clearly had not been able to move normally for quite some time. Then, little by little, she began swimming more freely.

And then came the moment that reminded us exactly why we do this.

After a few minutes, she suddenly launched into the most enthusiastic bath imaginable. Splashing, washing, flapping and throwing water everywhere. It was as though she had suddenly realised she was free again.

Free from the pain.

Free from the restriction.

Free from the line that had been slowly stealing her mobility.

You could almost feel the relief radiating from her.

For however long she’d been carrying that line, every step would have hurt. Every movement would have been difficult. Every day would have been a struggle. Yet there she was, throwing water everywhere and enjoying a proper bath like nothing else in the world mattered.

And that’s when the eyes started leaking.

Now, I am reliably informed that the pollen count is extremely high at the moment, so that was almost certainly the cause. Honest.

But standing there watching that goose enjoy something as simple as moving freely again after what she’d been through was one of those moments that catches you completely off guard.

People often ask why we do this. Why we spend our evenings, weekends and spare time chasing injured birds around lakes and waterways.

The answer is moments like that.

The moment when suffering turns into relief.

The moment when fear turns into safety.

The moment when an animal gets a second chance because somebody happened to be there when they needed help.

Those moments never get old.

If you would like to help us continue responding to incidents like this, please consider supporting MK Swan Rescue.

Donate: https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Amazon wish-list: https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

To report an injured swan or waterbird, call 07340 227005.

Please also follow our page to help us reach more people and more wildlife in need.

29/05/2026

Over the last few days, MK Swan Rescue has responded to numerous fishing tackle incidents involving swans and geese.

We have had a Canada goose at Mount Farm with a hook embedded in his foot, which had clearly been there for far too long. We have had three adult swans tackled at Furzton, plus a greylag gosling found purely by accident with tackle nobody had reported.

The three adult swans at Furzton were all reported immediately by the anglers involved. Of course we would rather these incidents did not happen in the first place, but we cannot fault someone for doing the right thing, calling it in straight away, and giving the bird the best possible chance of help.

The problem is not responsible anglers who report accidents. The problem is people who cut the line, walk away, and leave a bird to suffer.

We also had another tackle report at Furzton where an angler witnessed others cause an injury, cut the line, and leave. That is not acceptable to us, it is not acceptable to responsible anglers, and it is not acceptable to the clubs these people are part of either.

If you accidentally hook a bird, please just call us. We are not coming out to attack you. We are coming out to help the bird. Tackle injuries can cause intense suffering, infection, starvation, drowning, and death. Sometimes it is slow and painful. Sometimes it is sudden and distressing. Either way, walking away is not okay.

To every angler and member of the public who reports these incidents, thank you. You are the reason we have a chance to get these birds the help they need.

Please keep following the MK Swan Rescue page, keep reporting wildlife in trouble, and help us keep pushing awareness before more birds suffer needlessly.

Urgent rescue line: 07340 227005

If you can support our work, donations make a real difference:
https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Amazon wish-list:
https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

24/05/2026

This afternoon we attended Ashland Lake following a report concerning a Canada goose. Unfortunately we were unable to locate the issue that had originally been reported, but while carrying out checks in the area we instead came across two extremely distressed swan parents who had somehow become separated from four of their cygnets.

The cygnets had managed to get themselves stranded down a large drop beneath a very low bridge where the water was incredibly shallow, leaving mum and dad very upset and unable to reach them properly. So in the middle of the blazing heat, it was shoes and socks off for Angela and I as we squatted ourselves under the bridge and very quickly reunited all four cygnets with their parents.

Dad was not particularly impressed with us at first and spent a couple of minutes hovering around making it very clear that his focus was entirely on protecting his family and making sure every cygnet was safely accounted for. Once he finally stopped stressing long enough to properly count children, he realised they were all safely back where they belonged and the whole family settled down and swam off together further up the lake.

What makes this one particularly interesting is that we know this family very well. Sydney knows us. He sees us regularly and is generally very comfortable around us, but moments like this are always an important reminder that no matter how familiar these birds become with humans, instinct will always outweigh that familiarity. They are wild birds and that is exactly how it should be. Their priority will always be protecting their family first.

Not what we originally went there for at all, but sometimes rescue work is simply about being in the right place at the right time.

If you would like to support the work we do for local wildlife, donations can be made at https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Our Amazon wish-list can be found here: https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

Please also follow the MK Swan Rescue page to help us continue growing awareness and support for local wildlife rescue work.

24/05/2026

People often see the rescue photos and videos, but they do not always see the reality behind them.

The majority of the MK Swan Rescue team work full-time jobs on top of rescuing wildlife. Some have young children. Some work long and demanding shifts. Some are dealing with health challenges. Some are carrying difficult personal situations behind the scenes. Everybody has their own lives, pressures and struggles outside of rescue work.

But everybody still shows up because everybody genuinely cares.

Recently, the team were still on site until around 22:00 following a serious territorial swan incident that required intervention. Some of us did not get home until close to 23:00 and, for most of us, the alarm was then going back off early the next morning ready for work again, because that is the reality for much of the team. Rescue work happens around our jobs, around our responsibilities and around our normal lives.

Last night, one team member did not get home from an urgent rescue call-out until around 02:00 in the morning, and by 06:00 the phone was already ringing again with more wildlife needing help.

At the same time, other team members were balancing long work shifts, childcare responsibilities, health issues, transport runs, flock checks, admin, cleaning, laundry, monitoring birds in care, answering messages and preparing for another full day of rescues.

We also have team members who do not drive or have access to vehicles, but still spend huge amounts of time helping however they can, travelling on foot or by public transport, carrying out checks, assisting with rescues, monitoring birds and supporting the wider team around full-time work and everyday life.

That is normal here.

Within the same week, the team have also carried out repeated searches for a badly tackled young swan at Willen Lake with a large hook embedded in her bill and line trailing behind her because simply walking away from suffering is not an option to us.

We have dealt with orphan ducklings needing constant care before eventually being released safely back into the wild where they belong, while younger batches continue growing in care ready for their own chance at freedom.

We have also taken in multiple injured goslings over recent days, including one that became trapped in dangerous netting and suffered injuries as a result.

Alongside all of this, the team have continued carrying out routine flock checks across multiple waterways because many serious welfare issues are actually found proactively while monitoring birds, not simply reported in by the public once situations become critical.

And all of this happens around normal life.

Lunch breaks become rescue runs.

Evenings disappear into emergency call-outs.

People abandon meals halfway through because the phone rings again.

Sleep gets sacrificed because another bird needs help before work starts in the morning.

That is the reality behind wildlife rescue.

Nobody here is doing this because it is easy. They do it because they care deeply about these birds and because they refuse to ignore suffering when they see it.

Every single person in the team contributes in different ways and every role matters. Rescue is never just about the people physically catching birds. It is the transport runs, the fostering, the monitoring, the calls answered, the admin handled, the supplies collected, the cleaning done, the advice given, the checks carried out and the willingness to keep showing up even when life is already exhausting.

Every mile travelled, every rescue vehicle on the road, every transport run, every bag of feed and every piece of equipment costs money.

We will continue doing everything we can for these birds, but we genuinely do need public support to keep going through the busiest part of the year.

If you would like to support MK Swan Rescue CIC, you can donate here:
https://mkswanrescue.org/donate/

Our Amazon wish-list can be found here:
https://amzn.eu/eS1Au3Z

Volunteer enquiries:
[email protected]

Rescue line:
07340 227005

Please also follow and share the MK Swan Rescue page to help us continue growing awareness and reaching more people who may spot wildlife needing urgent help.

Thank you to everybody who supports the team and helps us continue this work.