In Palm Harbor, swans are ‘best buds’

Fred and Barney are “best buds,” as explained by Jennifer Wallis, the property manager of Sherwood Forest RV Resort in Palm Harbor. The pair of male mute swans were purchased by the RV park after the death of a female swan that lived there.

“It’s sort of our thing,” Wallis said. “After the female died last year, we contacted the City of Lakeland and were put on a waiting list last May. We received a call in October and purchased two male mute swans.”

In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II gave Lakeland a pair of the swans. They thrived.

Each year, Lakeland rounds up the swans that live along Lake Morton for their annual veterinary check. Swans are prolific breeders and it was determined that the population count was too high last year, so 28 were sold. The mute swan is the royal swan of England and has been introduced all over the world. They reside from Canada to Florida in North America.

Fred and Barney can’t fly because their wings are clipped. They can be seen most days gliding around the pond just off of Palm Harbor Boulevard near the intersection of Tampa Road.