Happy New Year from the Lincoln Swan Project! Thank you to all our fantastic data collectors who submitted an astounding 918 sightings of individually ringed birds in 2025, giving us fascinating insights. Please carry on submitting your sightings or sign up (link in bio). Big plans for 2026!
Helpful to have some useful publicity around our ongoing work, and the loss of L021 and L046 on the Brayford: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/lincoln...
Helpful to have some useful publicity around our ongoing work, and the loss of L021 and L046 on the Brayford: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/lincoln...
Happy New Year from the Lincoln Swan Project! Thank you to all our fantastic data collectors who submitted an astounding 918 sightings of individually ringed birds in 2025, giving us fascinating insights. Please carry on submitting your sightings or sign up (link in bio). Big plans for 2026!
Unfortunately there is no treatment for affected birds. Some do recover, but sick birds should not be moved due to risk of disease spread. Rescues cannot take any birds with suspected avian influenza. Reporting to help us track and understand the spread of the disease is the best way to help. 🦢
Sadly, we are getting reports of swan mortality in the @lincolnswans.bsky.social population from suspected avian influenza. We are monitoring this closely: please help us and report any sick or dead swans or waterbirds, either via the App or by email to lincolnswansightings@gmail.com. #ornithology
Unfortunately there is no treatment for affected birds. Some do recover, but sick birds should not be moved due to risk of disease spread. Rescues cannot take any birds with suspected avian influenza. Reporting to help us track and understand the spread of the disease is the best way to help. 🦢
(Bird in photo is healthy, just feeding - photo from a Lincoln Swans data collector :) )
Sadly, we are getting reports of swan mortality in the @lincolnswans.bsky.social population from suspected avian influenza. We are monitoring this closely: please help us and report any sick or dead swans or waterbirds, either via the App or by email to lincolnswansightings@gmail.com. #ornithology
Sadly, the same also goes for Mute Swans, with mortality now reported from both @lincolnswans.bsky.social and @cheshireswans.bsky.social. If you feel comfortable to do so, please do check for rings and report them. This provides invaluable data for wildlife disease research.
L312 was resighted again at Middlemarsh Farm near Skegness yesterday. Today he was sighted at Cleethorpes Boating Lake! 🦢💚
Ringed at the Brayford as a cygnet in August 2023.
Photo Credit: Photo 1 - Lincoln Swan Project Data Collector, Photo 2: Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue Volunteer
Welcome to the World 🩶
We've got our first cygnets and as expected it was the East Brayford pair (L277 & L404) who have kicked off the cygnet season for us in Lincoln. A total of 8 Cygnets which is fantastic to see! We look forward to more cygnet arrivals over the coming weeks 🩶.
#LincolnSwans #CygnetArrivals
In just a few days time we should start to see the arrival of this year's cygnets - we are expecting the East Brayford pair cygnets to hatch first given they were the first to nest.
Please do tag us in your photos of the 2025 Cygnets 🦢🩶.
Photo Credit: Lincoln Swans Data Collector 🦢💙.
L312 hatched in May 2023 at the Brayford and was then ringed on 02/08/2023. Since leaving the Brayford he hasn't been sighted until today he was sighted with 12 other swans at Middlemarsh Farm!
Photo Credit: Lincoln Swan Project Data Collector
We attended Langold Lake over the weekend, responding to a call about another swan, when our rescuer noticed this swan with a plastic ring caught around its lower beak. The plastic was safely removed, and the bird was able to be returned to the water a short time later.
Today our volunteers attended this swan in Lincoln, who had been avoiding capture for several days with fishing line tightly embedded around one leg. Thankfully the bird was swiftly caught without the need of our rescue boat, much to the relief of all concerned.
L310 was ringed at the Brayford on 02/08/2023. Since leaving her parents territory she's been sighted at Short Ferry twice once in November 2023 and the next time in January 2024. She's not been sighted since then until today she was sighted in Metheringham.
#LincolnSwans 🦢💚
Happy Mother's Day 🦢❤️
Our breeding females are busy on their nests incubating their eggs. We have fantastic breeding females in Lincoln who each year alongside their mate raise lots of lovely cygnets 🦢🩶.
Photo Credit: Lincoln Swan Project Data Collector 🦢
#LincolnSwans
The 2025 Lincoln Swan Cygnets are on their way! One of our main breeding pairs has built their nest up and we suspect there is at least 1 egg already. The female is sitting on the nest whilst the male keeps guard.
📸 taken with Long Lens
© Lincoln Swan Project Data Collector
Thanks to callers who alerted us to this swan trapped between some stock fencing near Scunthorpe recently. The bird was easily rescued, and released onto more appropriate waters.
Over the next 2 months you'll see swan pairs on nests. If photographing a nest please keep a safe distance to avoid disturbing the swans. Please also be careful if you choose to share the photo on social media, avoid providing a location. We are looking forward to the arrival of this year's cygnets!
L278 & L410 - Resident Pair on the Swanholme Lakes 🦢🤍🦢
#LincolnSwans
Photo Credit: Lincoln Swan Project Data Collector
We had a visitor pair fly into the Brayford this afternoon. The female was ringed - L309. She was part of the brood of the East Brayford Side Pair (L277 & L404) in 2023. She returned home today with a mate but was quickly chased off by her parents as well as the other pair on the Brayford 🦢🤍.
L089 was ringed in August 2019 at The Brayford as a cygnet. Since dispersing from her parents territory, she's been sighted down the River Witham past Meadow Lane and on a drain by Thorpe Lane in June 2020. She hadn't been sighted since until 22/01/25 she was sighted in Farndon.
#LincolnSwans
New paper!! First paper from @lincolnswans.bsky.social validating data from our amazing Lincoln Swan Project community scientists available open access here: rdcu.be/d63kG. Great also to have five undergraduate students as co-authors - all worked with the swans for projects or summer internships 😊
