Swan Upping beginning at Sunbury Lock. Swan Marker and the Queen's boat leave the lock to start 5 days upstream, marking young swans on the Thames. The Dyers and the Vintners crew two other boats for the same purpose. Unmarked swans belong to the Crown, one nick on the beak and they belong to the Dyers, two nicks and the Vintners take ownership. Photo by Colin Smith
According to The Telegraph:
The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, said…”Vandalism remains a constant threat to swan numbers and is one of the primary causes of fatalities among mute swans and young cygnets together with fishing tackle injuries. The number of vandal attacks has continued to increase over the past year.”
Mr. Barber also noted that…[T]his resulted in an “extremely disappointing” reduction of 20% in the number of cygnets counted during last year’s Swan Upping. This year’s Swan Upping ceremony will start at Sunbury, Surrey, on July 16 and end at Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on July 20.
To read more in The Telegraph, click here.
