>Does it land nearby and cluster for a bit like a real swarm or if I see a swarm clustering nearby does it mean a real swarm has occurred? 

I have seen mating swarms that just flew around and then returned to the hive (you can be sure that it is a mating swarm if you see the queen returning with the 'mating sign').  Other times they will cluster.

Sometimes I see very small mating swarms - perhaps just a cup full of bees - in the autumn; almost certainly where the old queen is being superseded.

If you run with clipped queens and are unable to do 9 day inspections, perhaps because of the weather, then the old queen may try to swarm and be lost in the long grass.  By the time that the first virgin emerges and is ready to mate then there may be very little brood left and this can result in a huge mating swarm with few bees left in the hive.  However, collecting these swarms can lead to disappointment as they fly off again if the queen has not finished mating - and they rarely seem to return!

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

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