Swan Rescue successful visit to Stanborough

Stanborough Park has worked closely with the Swan Sanctuary for many years; their help with rescuing sick and injured birds, as well as their monitoring of numbers over the years, has been invaluable to us.

The volunteer team were recently called out to Stanborough to a swan in distress and spent 3 ½ hours coaxing the swan to safety where they were able to examine it and establish that no serious damage was done on this occasion. They were ably assisted by the Waterfowl Rescue Service and by the Waterfowl Sanctuary on this visit.

Swan rescuers, Jo and Mark from the Swan Sanctuary, often visit Stanborough to look after our swans; their interest in wanting to help UK wildlife brought them to volunteering for the sanctuary; both Jo & Mark are self-funded volunteers. Mark has been a volunteer for around four years and Jo started in November 2021. They receive rescue callouts either via The Sanctuary, or independently from members of the public, and work together (and with other volunteers) to try and attend all the callouts that come in for the areas they cover; this includes Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex.

The reason for our callouts can be quite varied with anything from crash injuries, fights and pollution but we also get called to a lot of fishing tackle injuries.  Sadly, dog attacks are quite prolific too and they would ask that people keep dogs under close control, or on lead in areas where swans and other wildlife are.

The swans are currently in their breeding season and There are already some cygnets and ducklings emerging at Stanborough and throughout  the county.  Swans are very protective parents, so please give them the space they need to raise their families.

Should you find swans or other waterfowl with injuries, please don’t ignore them, call for help.  The Swan Sanctuary can be reached on 01932 240790,

Mark Boxer (www.facebook.com/swanrescueherts) on 07903 349792,

Jo Newson www.waterfowlrescueservice.co.uk on 07901562796.

The Swan Sanctuary was started by Dorothy Beeson in the 1980’s and the history of the sanctuary and the amazing work they do can be found at www.theswansanctuary.org.uk.