Fowl play by foxes blamed for disappearance of New River ducks

Published: 09 July, 2010
by PETER GRUNER

FOXES – already getting a bad press for attacking babies in neighbouring South Hackney – are blamed for a drop in the number of Islington’s New River ducks.

Residents fear that urban foxes may have enjoyed too many meals of duck à la pond weed at the picturesque river that flows through Canonbury.

Founder member of Islington Society Harley Sherlock could find no ducks during a half-hour stroll along the banks of the river on Monday morning.

He believes numbers have been declining for 10 years. “They used to nest all along the far banks,” he said. “Mums would bring their children to feed the ducks. That was one of the joys of the river.”

He remembers ducks nesting in his garden pond nearby. “They would hatch out after a couple of days. When they were hungry mother duck would often bash her beak on our door for food. 

“Then when the mother had clearly decided our pond was too small she would lead her eight to ten chicks down Alwyne Place to the New River. The traffic would stop to allow her to pass. It was all great fun.”

Jack Lambert, chairman of the Friends of the New River, says its wildlife varies over the year. 

“It’s not necessarily   a stable population, because they come and go,” he said. “There are about three or more moorhens in summer but they often hide. The numbers of ducks can go up to about 17 in winter.

“We saw ducks on Saturday when we were out with volunteers pulling out duck weed. They are there but not as many as before. But there are always dangers from cats and perhaps foxes.”

Wildlife expert John Bryant said the “trend of blaming foxes for everything short of the war in Afghanistan is becoming too much”.

He added: “Ducklings are taken by all sorts of predators, including foxes and cats. Occasionally human predators are known to have taken them, but ducks are always vulnerable. That’s why they have so many babies.”

The New River, built to bring drinking water to London from Hertfordshire 38 miles away, emerges in Canonbury before continuing underground to Sadler’s Wells at the Angel.