Irregular visitor and, breeding resident.

Mostly seen at Fairlands Valley Lakes and the Town Centre Gardens. With additional records of two flying over Woodland Way on 10 April 1967, two flying over the Old Town on 12 September 1973, six flying over Stevenage on 25 September 1975, four flying over Watery Grove on 29 July 1981 and, a ringed bird (889) at Glaxo Smith Kline on 26 September 2016.

They were first seen at Fairlands Valley Lakes in 1973, the following is an account of these Swans from the Stevenage & District Ornithological Society’s Report for that year:

“Fairlands Lakes attracted four adults and one juvenile on 16 January (12 flying along the valley on 24 January did not stop and may have been Mutes) but after a young bird was found shot apart from one on 11 February it wasn’t until 16 September that two were seen to stay, then five from 4 October and finally five or six regular until the end of the year.”

In 1974 they were seen all year at Fairlands Valley Lakes except for in June and August, with six seen on 4 March. A young bird appeared to be resident in 1975.

A pair attempted to breed at Fairlands Valley Lakes in 1976. Breeding was successful in 1977 with two cygnets seen during May one of which was subsequently killed by a Dog, whilst the other died by swallowing a fishing line. Two were also seen to mate on 8 January 2001, but did not stay to breed.

In 2016 a ringed pair (male 4COO and female 48NN) nested on the Millennium Lake Island but failed to breed. (The male was originally red colour ringed with number 4AXO at London Colney as a cygnet on 10 September 2013 and, was first recorded at Fairlands Valley Lakes in March 2014. Having lost its original ring, it was replaced on 9 March 2017 with ring number 4COO. The female was ringed at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 9 March 2015 with red colour ring 48NN). In 2017 the same pair nested in the same place and produced six cygnets, which were first seen on 24 May. Unfortunately, between the 21 and, 26 July the number of cygnets was reduced to two. One is believed to have been taken into care by the R.S.P.C.A., the disappearance of the other three is unaccounted for. The two adults and, surviving two cygnets were seen until 14 September, when one of the surviving cygnets again mysteriously disappeared. The surviving cygnet and two adults were still at the Lakes until 5 October with the surviving cygnet last seen on 12 October.

The same pair nested again in 2018 and 2019 with seven cygnets seen on 27 May 2018, sadly the number of cygnets was reduced to one by 4 July and, the remaining cygnet was last seen on 12 September. Two cygnets were seen on 26^th May 2019 but, were reduced to one by 4 July and, last seen on 26 July. Nesting was attempted again in 2020 with nest building seen on 19 February but, unfortunately the female (4BNN) was believed to have been killed by a Fox (Vulpes vulpes).

On 9 January 2022 the male (4COO) was seen with what appeared another female (ringed 4EJZ) together with another pair, an un-ringed, male and a female (ringed 4ETH). The female (4ETH) had been ringed as a five-year-old bird at Walthamstow Wetlands on 6 October 2020 and had subsequently been seen at Victoria Park, Hackney, Wanstead Flats and Nazeing Mead, Essex.

4COO and 4EJZ nested in 2022 with five cygnets seen on 23 May. Unfortunately, the cygnets were quickly reduced to one, with the surviving cygnet seen until 27 October. The same pair nested again in 2023 raising one cygnet, which was seen until 10 February 2024.

There is a record of another ringed pair at Fairlands Valley Lakes in 2016, ring numbers, 4BIQ and, 4BOW unfortunately, 4BOW was found dead there at the end of the year having apparently hit some wires.

The most seen together are 11 at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 4 and 5 June 2000, and an unusual record is of a family group of two adults, and eight juveniles seen on 28 January 2008.

Since 2014, when they were first seen with two cygnets on 17 November there has been a regular wintering pair at the Town Centre Gardens. The female, ring number 888 was ringed as a cygnet at Digswell Lake near Welwyn Garden City on 16 March 2010 and, the male, ring number, 889 was ringed as a cygnet at Verulamium Lake, St Albans on 13 April 2002, they are regular breeders at Digswell Lake. The latest record of this pair at the Town Centre Gardens is 1 October 2020.

A 15, year old bird ringed at Verulamium, St Albans on 13 April 2000 (ring No. W00619) was seen at Stevenage on 17 December 2017 and, 11 November 2018.

4COO and 4EJZ with cygnet Fairlands Valley Lakes 24 December 2023.