So yesterday I had the opportunity to attend my first Swan Roundup at Lake Morton, in Lakeland. It was set to begin at 7:00am and so I left around 5:45am and arrived just before 6:30. They arrived and began putting the boats into the water promptly at 7:00 and the roundup lasted until just after 9:00am.

I have been to Lake Morton numerous times over the last few years but I had not had the opportunity to attend this annual event. But for my memories sake, I will provide a bit of history.

Lakeland, whose lakes had been home to a varying number of graceful birds since at least 1923, saw its last swan fall victim to an alligator in 1954. Mrs. Robert Pickhardt, a Lakeland native living in England at the time, was familiar with the royal flock of swans on the Thames – birds descended from the original pair given to Richard, he of the lion heart. She inquired about purchasing a pair for Lakeland. Queen Elizabeth, known to be a little tight with a farthing, agreed to send a pair of swans to Lakeland if the city would pay the cost of capture, crating, and shipping, estimated at $300.

Eventually the money was raised and a pair of White Mute Swans from England were released on Lake Morton on February 9, 1957. Descendants of that pair continue to grace the city’s many lakes; today there are more than 200 birds, including White Mutes, Australian Black Swans, White Coscorba Swans from the Falkland Islands, Black Neck Swans from South America, white pelicans, ducks, geese, and other species.

Lakeland has learned its lesson and is very protective of its swans now. There is an annual swan round-up, at which time the graceful birds are inoculated against disease, and the city provides feeding stations and breeding pens along Lake Morton’s perimeter. The swan is now the city’s official logo.

A good place to view the swans of Lake Morton is at the corner of Lake Morton Drive and East Palmetto Avenue, near the Lakeland Library. If you are driving, be careful, the swans have the right of way.

Reprinted from the book – Florida Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff by David Grimes & Tom Becnel

41st Annual Lake Morton Swan Roundup Takes Place October 19th

LAKELAND, FL (October 8, 2021) | The City of Lakeland Parks Division will be on Lake Morton at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 19th for the 41st Annual Swan Roundup. Parks & Recreation employees will be carefully gathering the swans to get them ready for their annual veterinary check-up. The swans will be confined in large holding pens on the south side of the lake for their annual wellness examinations with My Pet’s Animal Hospital that will start the morning of October 20th at 8:00 a.m. The Annual Swan Round-Up allows the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to closely monitor the health and vitality of Lakeland’s swan population.

The original swans on Lake Morton were donated by Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom in 1957. As Lakeland’s swan flock grew, it became paramount to give the regal birds an annual health check so the Swan Roundup began in 1980 and has continued every year since then. The swans were first cared for by veterinarian (emeritus) and original "Swanvet" W.G. Gardner, Dr. Patricia Mattson oversaw the birds for several years and now My Pet’s Animal Hospital contributes their expertise to care for Lakeland’s swan flock.

Bob Donahay, Director of Parks & Recreation said, “The Lake Morton swans are a community icon and families have been interacting with the birds for decades. It is very important to us to make sure our Lakeland flock is doing well so we schedule the Swan Roundup each year with the primary purpose to check on the health of our birds.” He added, “We really appreciate the team at My Pet’s Animal Hospital donating their time and equipment to help care for our flock. We could not do it without their generous support.”

So I found what I thought would be a good spot and watched as the roundup began.

Don’t worry, they are going for the ones with the long necks.

So definitely worth going to watch and take photographs. I will try to make sure it is on my calendar for next year.