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swan upping

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Swan Upping is the annual census of the swan population on stretches of the Thames in the UK’s counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

This year’s Swan Upping kicked off on Monday, July 15, and will continue until Friday, July 19.

 

1. This historic ceremony dates from the 12th century, when the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans. The Queen of England generally just keeps tabs on the ones living on the River Thames and surrounding areas though. Mute swans have white feathers and are known for being less vocal.

2. Until recently, the “Seigneur of the Swans” (the Queen) was the only person who could kill and eat swans. Now, nobody can do either. But as recently as a decade or so ago, killing a swan was an act of treason that could technically be punishable by death or imprisonment.

3. Swan Upping is a swan census, basically. During the celebration, all of the Queen’s swans along the River Thames are rounded up, caught, tagged and measured and then released back into the wild.

Swan Upping is the annual census of the swan population on stretches of the Thames

Swan Upping is the annual census of the swan population on stretches of the Thames

4. The focus of Swan Upping these days is on the cygnets. Not just because they’re super cute either, but in order to track breeding trends of the mute swans.

5. It takes place annually during the third week of July in areas like Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, among others.

6. The Queen’s Swan Marker leads the Swan Upping. The current Swan Marker is named Swan Marker David Barber, a Professor of Ornithology at the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology. One of the biggest threats to swans these days is the increasing numbers of dog attacks. “When we have dog attacks it’s through carelessness,” said David Barber. “We are trying to stamp it out.”

7. The other swan counters (called “Swan Uppers”) wear traditional scarlet uniforms. And six traditional Thames rowing skiffs are used for the Upping, each adorned with flags and pennants.

8. Swan Uppers cry “All up!” when they spot a group of swans. The Uppers target cygnets and when they spot them, this call indicates that they need to get into position to grab and tag.

9. As they pass Windsor Castle, the Swan Uppers toast to the Queen. Queen Elizabeth is rarely ever present at the event (she’s attended once), so the rowers must stand at attention and hail Her Majesty The Queen, Seigneur of the Swans as they pass Windsor, one of the queen’s pads.

10. There was no Swan Upping in 2012. The Upping was supposed to be a part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour, but due to flooding, the ceremony was cancelled for the first time in 900 years.
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Swan Upping, the ancient British tradition of counting swans along Thames River, has begun on July 15.

The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts.

The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown

The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown

On the River Thames a team of boatmen called Swan Uppers have the job of corralling, catching and marking the birds on the water between Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey and Abingdon in Oxfordshire this week.

When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of ”All up” is made to signal that the boats should get into position.

The swans – usually two parent birds and three cygnets – are then weighed, ringed and checked for signs of disease or injury.

David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker, said ahead of the start of Swan Upping that despite the recent problems faced by nesting birds things appeared to be improving.

He said: “The Thames’ swans are nesting later than usual due to the prolonged cold spring we have experienced this year. The number of cygnets has declined over recent years, primarily due to the spring floods that washed away many nests, and of course there have been several outbreaks of duck virus enteritis which killed many breeding pairs of swans.

“Fortunately, the situation is looking more positive this year as we have received many reports of nesting pairs with eggs or cygnets.

“Late hatching can present its own problems; small cygnets are more susceptible to injuries caused by fishing tackle when the fishing season starts. However the health of cygnets will be assessed during Swan Upping week when they will be examined for any signs of injury and given treatment if necessary.”

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