Swan Upping - Centuries of Tradition on the River Thames - The Vintners' Company No, Keep Private Swan Upping - Centuries of Tradition on the River Thames The Vintners' Company's ownership of swans and the annual 'swan upping' which takes place on the Thames are well-known, and we are sometimes asked how far back this goes and how it first arose. What follows is a summary of what we know about the Vintners' Company's early involvement with swans. Download a Swan Upping Brochure by clicking HERE The first documentary reference to the Vintners owning swans comes from 1509, when the Company's "Under-Swanherd", named James, was paid 4 shillings at the time of the 'great frost' for 'upping the Master's swans', plus a further 4 pence for boat hire at the same time. These early Company accounts are at the British Library ('Egerton manuscripts'), but we have a copy on microfilm at Vintners' Hall. Apart from a single sheet for 1392, no Company accounts have survived earlier than 1507.

The Company's right to own swans is generally said to be 'by prescription'. This specific legal expression implies that the right has been exercised for so long that it has never been challenged. In theory it stretches as far back as 'legal memory' itself, fixed by statute as starting from the accession of Richard I in 1189. The Vintners have therefore owned swans since 'time immemorial', in the correct legal sense of that common phrase. A statute of Edward IV of 1483 is frequently referred to in various printed sources on the 'swan royalty'. This states that only someone possessing freehold land worth at least 5 marks p.a. (between £3 and £4) has the right to own swans. In a 16th century law suit between the Crown and Lady Joan Young it was clarified that this applied only on a person's private waters; on the common and open river, swans could only be marked, and therefore owned, by the monarch (and their agents), or 'by prescription'.

The fact that the 1483 statute does not appear to have been followed by any later legislation or grant to the Vintners has led to the (not unreasonable) assumption that the Vintners were already swan owners by that date. A useful book to read on the subject is Norman Ticehurst's The Mute Swan in England', published in 1957. This refers to a grant of swan-rights to the Dyers' Company in 1473 and also remarks that the Vintners "received their swan-rights from the Crown between 1472 and 1483", although no specific evidence for this is supplied. Ticehurst also points out that the swan mark used by the Vintners for centuries, until it was altered in 1863, was the same as that used by David Selby, a prominent Vintner in the mid-15th century, implying that the Company's swan ownership may derive from around that time or a little later.

Thus although the first documentary reference to the Vintners' Company as swan owners is from 1509, it is likely that it goes well back into the 15th century and possibly even earlier. Swans were a prized source of meat in the Tudor age and their quills were also used for writing. Quills from geese were much more commonly used, cheaper, and preferred by many people who found a swan's quill too stiff to write with easily. However, a swan's quill was said to last as long as 50 goose quills, and Queen Elizabeth I preferred to write with a swan's quill. Quills were invariably trimmed of all or most of their feathers to make writing easier -it is a common mistake in historical dramas to see someone pretending to write with a quill which still has all its feathers intact! Swans' feathers may also have been used decoratively in hats, and the down used for stuffing quilts and pillows. At Vintners' Hall we have a beautiful cape made from swans' down, though this dates from the 1920s - relatively modern by Vintners' standards! By Gone Years!

Play the YouTube video below to see some images of Swan Upping over the year! A Royal Visit In 2009 Her Majesty the Queen visited the royal custom of Swan Upping. Although she may own all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain, she had never before made a personal visit to watch this ancient ritual. The usual starting point in Sunbury in Surrey was changed to accommodate Her Majesty as she travelled by boat from Boveny Lock at Eton Wick to Oakley Court. Here she met with Swan Uppers and watched cygnets being weighed, marked and measured. Her Majesty is known as the Seigneur Of The Swans during the historic ceremony. Swan Warden Michael Cox, the Uppers and their ladies The Swan Upping Programme The programme for Swan Upping runs from Monday to Friday, usually during the third week of July. The Loyal Toast is drunk between 4.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. on the Monday at Romney Lock, Windsor. It is possible to view the Swan Uppers at work from various points on the towpath alongside the River Thames.

Additional information may be obtained from the Royal Website: More general information may be found on the 'Visit Thames' web site The Swan Upping Weekly Schedule (subject to conditions on the River Thames) Monday A pictorial guide to Swan Upping on the River Thames This site uses cookies. See our Cookie Policy for information Swan Upping on the River Thames The census of people takes place every ten years. The census of swans takes place annually during July on the River Thames in a ceremony known as Swan Upping. Swans are counted and marked on a 70 mile, five day journey up the River Thames. The Swan Upping event takes place in July each year, commencing on the third Monday at Sunbury and ending at Abingdon on the Friday. ( timetable ) The swans on the River Thames are Mute Swans (Cygnus olor). They are not actually mute, they can honk and hiss alot. Mute swans are seen in Britain all year round and are distinguished by a bright orange beak, which has a knob of black tissue on the top.

Swan Uppers searching for cygnets The Swan Uppers catch and check the health of the swans and their cygnets through five counties, from Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, to Abingdon , Oxfordshire. © Copyright - please read All the materials on these pages are free for homework and classroom use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place the content of this page on any other website or blog without written permission from the Mandy Barrow. 12 Amazing Facts About the Swan Upping | Mental Floss 12 Amazing Facts About the Swan Upping getty images Like us on Facebook Did you know the Queen of England owns all the unclaimed mute swans in all of Britain? Well, she does, and she makes sure to count them every year in the third week of July. It’s called the Swan Upping, and it's just as amazing as you might think. 1. It started because swans were food. The ceremony likely began in the 12th century, when the Crown claimed all unclaimed mute swans.

At that time, the birds were considered a delicacy reserved for the banquets and feasts of the wealthy; today, the birds aren't on the plate, but the ceremony continues. 2. Not all swans are owned by the Crown. In the 15th century, the Crown split ownership of the birds with the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers (both livery companies). To differentiate, Vintners Uppers wear white and black, and the Dyers Uppers wear dark blue during the census. The Queen's Swan Uppers wear traditional scarlet uniforms. 3. THE CEREMONY LASTS FIVE DAYS. Six rowing skiffs—two each for the Crown, the Dyers, and the Vintners—start at Sunbury and head upstream to Abingdon in a 79-mile, 5-day journey. Each boat flies a flag or pennant that indicates which group of Swan Uppers is on board. 4. Swan uppers only care about the mute swans. Mute swans are the birds with white feathers and an orange bill, bordered with black (as juveniles, they have gray feathers).

They are less vocal that other swans but are known to hiss at predators entering their territory. Good luck, Swan Uppers! 5. IT TAKES PLACE IN LATE JULY FOR A REASON. According to the Vintners [ PDF ], that's when "the parent birds were in moult and the cygnets were too small to fly." 6. The organizer of the Swan Upping is called The Queen's Swan Marker. The role dates back to the 12th century ceremonies and was previously known as Master or Keeper. At that time, the person's main job was to find the best swans for eating. In 1993, the role was split into the Swan Warden and the Swan Marker. The Swan Warden is Christopher Perrins, an ornithologist at the University of Oxford, who monitors the health of the swans during the ceremony. The Swan Marker is responsible not just for organizing the event but also keeping tabs on swan welfare across the country, a role David Barber has been performing since 1993. 7. The Swan Uppers have a rallying cry.

When they spot a brood of swans, the Uppers yell "All up!" It indicates they need to get into position and get ready to grab. The birds are then taken to the shore, where they're examined and marked. In the old days, the birds' beaks were nicked—one for a Dyers' bird, two for a Vintners' bird—but today, they snap bands around the birds' legs. The Crown's swans aren't marked at all. Swans that are injured are either treated on the riverbank or taken to facilities to recuperate. 8. The Queen isn't there. Only once in her 63-year reign—in 2009—has Queen Elizabeth II participated. But the Uppers find a way to honor her: According to USA Today , "Before the boats push off, the uppers pour themselves a glass of port and raise it toward the castle, in honor of the absent monarch." Still, because she's owner of all the swans, she gets a name befitting her station: Seigneur of the Swans. 9. Only one Swan Upping in recent memory has ever been canceled.

In 2012, the ceremony was canceled due to flooding for possibly the first time in 900 years. 10. Not all of the Thames' swans are part of the Upping. The Swan Upping only occurs on select parts of the River Thames and in certain tributaries. Good thing, or the Swan Upping would last more than 5 days. 11. This old tradition serves a modern purpose. Since the royal family isn't dining on these birds anymore, the survey is more about analyzing the health of the swan population and the effects of their various predators. The census has actually led to the discovery of environmental trends. After swan numbers decreased in the 1980s, lead fishing weights , which the swans were eating, were banned, and the population rebounded. This year, it appears that the serious threat against swans is cygnets being shot by air guns. 12. You can't eat the swans now. Unless you're the Queen, one of her guests, or a fellow of St. John’s College Cambridge, eating a swan in Britain these days is a crime: Offenders must pay a serious fine or serve time in prison.

Not only are mute swans a protected species—you're stealing from the Queen! Though the ban might be for the best: According to the Vintners , swan meat has “not lived up to its medieval reputation—the muscly legs and wings are very tough.” All photos courtesy of Getty Images. Swan Upping –Counting the Swans on the River Thames David Barber, The Queen’s Swan Marker Swan Upping is an ancient ceremony which counts the number of mute swans on the River Thames. This still relatively unknown tradition is an annual event, which takes place during the third week in July. Earlier this week Julie and I went to Oakley Court hotel to watch this spectacle and to partake of afternoon tea (seperate blog to follow). Skiffs (small rowing boats) Swans have traditionally been regarded as a royal bird and by common law have belonged to the sovereign. The tradition of Swan Upping dates back to the 1100s, to a time when swans were highly regarded for their meat and were served at banquets and feasts.

In the 1470s the monarch bestowed the right to own swans to the Worshipful Company of Vintners and later also to the Worshipful Company of Dyers . Both the Vintners and the Dyers are livery companies, or ancient trade guilds in the City of London, and together with the Crown maintain the tradition of Swan Upping. Today the route covers the stretch of the River Thames between Sunbury and Abingdon, a journey of 79 miles, which is completed over five days. The public can watch from a number of viewing points along the river. Once the Uppers locate a family of swans they cry "All Up", surround them and then take them ashore for counting, examination and marking. The Uppers travel in six Skiffs, small wooden rowing boats. Two each for the Crown, the Vintners and the Dyers with each boat flies their own distinctive flag. The Crown's flag is white, the Vintners are red and the Dyers are blue. The swans and cygnets are carefully carried ashore. The family was kept together and taken to a shady area to try to keep them cool. Today Swan Upping focuses on swan welfare and conservation.

The cygnets are counted and traditionally they were marked on their beak with one nick for the Dyers and two for the Vintners, while the Crown's birds were left unmarked. Today the cygnets are ringed. The cygnets had a health check which included being measured. The cygnets were also weighed. They were also examed for signs of illness or injury. Christopher Perrins (left), the Queen's Warden of the Swans, is a biologist and Fellow at the University of Oxford and David Barber (right), the Queen’s Swan Marker. Once the tasks have been completed the birds are released back into the River Thames. The swans and their cygnets are then released back into the River Thames together to avoid the risk of seperation. We chose to watch the ceremony at Oakley Court hotel, which is one of the locations where the Uppers come ashore. We found it the perfect location, being more secluded than in the town centres, it was intimate and informal and we were able to mingle and chat with some of the people who were involved. The Uppers wear traditional uniform.

Pictured the Queen’s Swan Marker (left) wearing scarlet, the Dyers (centre) and the Vintners (right), all with a swan feather in their caps. School children at Swan Upping were given a talk about conservation and were told about some of the hazzards the swans face, such a fishing tackle injuries. The Queen's Swan Marker also awarded certificates to some pupils for completing swan themed projects. Accompanying the six Skiffs were these two boats, with their distinctive flags, and their swan shaped flower pots are adorable. We totally loved our day out at Swan Upping, it makes for a fun day out and we're already planning to visit again next year. Practical Information Swan Upping is an annual event taking place on the third week in July. The ceremony takes place over five days. The route overs the stretch of the River Thames between Sunbury and Abingdon. We chose to watch Swan Upping at Oaklet Court hotel and we made a day of it arriving early so we could see the ceremony and then relaxing for the rest of the day walking round its beautiful grounds and enjoying afternoon tea.

For more information watch the video clip with David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker, talking about the tradition of Swan Upping. If you enjoyed this blog post you might like to read about the Hot Cross Buns ceremony. The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds. We eat chickens, ducks and geese, but how come swans evade our dinner plates? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk We eat chickens, ducks and geese, but how come swans evade our dinner plates? L.J. Lev, Yellowknife, Canada Because they belong to the monarch. Get caught with a roast swan in your oven and the penalty is no doubt of a medieval nature. Mark Power, Dublin Ireland Because all Swans in this country are the property of the crown and you would require a special licence to kill one. Mike, Brighton UK Because they have been protected for so long, that eating them has gone out of favour. Like deer, they were once hunted to near extinction. To preserve them they were made - with a few exceptions - property of the crown.

Peter Brooke, Newmachar UK Because all swams in England belong to the Queen so catching one would constitute theft. In Ireland the daughters of Lir were turned into swans so you would wish to avoid eating these beautiful maidens. Natasha, Oxfordshire UK Swans used to be eaten by the aristocracy up to Tudor/Elizabethan ages. They ceased to be a popular dish when all swans in England were declared the property of the monarch, so catching one to eat could result in a short (or not so short) stay in the tower. Two livery companies have been granted a special dispensation to own swans, hence the annual 'swan-upping' sessions. During these, representatives of the two companies are allowed one day to catch swans and mark them with either one or two notches on their beaks. Any unmarked birds remain the property of the monarch. Susie Burlace, London The eating of swans is a royal perogative and up until relatively recently killing one of them was a treasonable offence. The queen has an official Keeper of the Queens swans (constable or something). For a good recipe, get hold of the hampton court palace royal tudor kitchens cook book.

(I reccomend the roast lemon salad.) Ben Davies, London One of the reasons that swans are not eaten is probably to do with the fact that swans are soverign property and therefore may well fall under the guise of treason or another archaeic law still punishable by death. Tim, Teddington UK My father once ate swan - it had flown into a power line and been picked up by a friend of his who was a chef in a pub. He said it was inedibly tough and greasy despite having been cooked by an expert. Perhaps you would need to hang it so long to make it chewable that it would be too rotten to eat. Chris Young, Sheffield UK In England, you cannot eat swan for two reasons: they are protected by the Queen and they may contain lead. Carol Buckley, La Jolla USA It's not strictly true that the Queen owns all swans in Britain. The Swan Upping ceremony which takes place every July takes a head-count of all the mute swans on the Thames and marks them for ownership either by the Crown or by the Vintners' and Dyers' Livery Companies, which were granted their rights of ownership by the Crown in the fifteenth century.

Technically, the Crown owns all unmarked mute swans in open water, and the Queen only exercises her ownership rights on some stretches of the Thames and its tributaries. Other varieties of swan (Bewick's, Whooper etc.) aren't included in this. My theory as to why we don't eat swans is because they're too difficult to domesticate and the wild ones are too rare to kill. Leo Hickey, Barking UK If you are invited to a feast at St John's College Cambridge you may be served swan by the same royal favour that allows the choristers to wear scarlet. Charlie Hartill, London UK The penalty for taking a swan used to be seven years transportation! In mid July, on the River Thames, the 900 year old ceremony of 'Swan Upping' takes place. In earlier times, this was to mark ownership of the swans, which was split between the Crown, and the association of Dyers and the association of Vintners. The swans would have their beaks nicked, I forget what denoted what, but the royal swans would remain unmarked. It still takes place today, with all the rich pageantry you would expect.

However, nowadays it is more of a census and welfare check for the birds, which are weighed and ringed. Mark, Aylesbury UK Aparently swan can be eaten at St John's College, Cambridge. Jenny Maresh, Cambridge UK Unfortunately all the answers have been incorrect.The Crown i.e the Queen has the rights on certain sections of the Thames. In addition two City of London Companies Vintners and Dyers have rights but most of the swans visiting Britain have no claimants of ownership. Please enlighten Mr Lev in Canada. Jack Hill, St Albans England UK My late husband saw the male swan in our local park kill one of its own young (by drowning it) when the youngster refused to leave the pond of its birth. He removed the body from the pond to prevent children from seeing it and getting upset, then thought, "Why waste it?" and produced a swan feast for his father and some friends (I was abroad at the time). He prepared it using a recipe for goose, and all who joined in the repast declared it to be like very tender beef and delicious.

(He assumed Her Majesty wouldn't want a dead swan of unknown origins sent to her.) Laurie Keller, Bedford UK According to the Bible (Leviticus), it is forbidden to eat swans or other unclean fowls and birds of prey. This may give a more cultural background, instead of the purely national reason of monarchy ownership that has frequently been given. However, people in our culture eat shellfish and pork, and these are also things we are told are unclean in Leviticus. I know that in Alaska, hunters with permits can shoot Tundra Swans. Many swans migrate through the Pacific Northwest of the US, but I've never heard of hunters in Oregon shooting swans. I think it has to do with their "ornamental value"- they've been considered more prized for their beauty than their tough meat. Although there are well-known Celtic and Teutonic myths regarding shapeshifting into humans and such, I wonder if this had an effect on whether people ate swans during medieval times, for example? I don't know if it did.

LM Harms, Portland, OR USA Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" features a scene where a swan is being roasted on a spit , and lamenting his fate - since this piece is based on mediaeval texts dating back to to around 1300, it suggests that eating swans might once have been common. Graham Cox, High Wycombe, UK Clearly, it's because swans can & will break your leg with their wings! Did no one else read the replies to Carl Tyler's swan query, in particular Eleanor's? I have vindicated her friend. Susan Cho, Baltimore, MD US The tough meat thing is most certainly not true. I have had swan before and it is very tender, half-way between beef and pork. I think (in the case) that it was fried by the power line might explain the toughness of the meat that time. Ronald, Hong Kong, China My theory of why we can't eat Swans in the UK is simply this:- You will find that the more beautiful the bird the better it tastes ie..

Ugly turkey = too dry, average looking chicken = bland, handsome duck = succulent, as we all know swans are the more glamorous of the flock and therefore should be the yum-diddly-scrumptious of them all. When the Monarchy back in the 1700s first had the satisfaction of blessing there tastebuds with this fine 'bird' there diet and way of life was turned upside down, they started to fear that the peasants would find out how scrummy they were and sell them at morrisons on sat mornings. It is for this reason and this reason alone that the Swan Act 1788 was passed "...No Swan in this land shall be passed through any citizens mouth (or other entry to the body), if found doing so you shall be sentenced to death by pecking (this is not pleasant, the only person who is able to eat Swans to this day are those who own fancy hats or shiny boots). Kate Mate, Swansea Wales Does the queen herself eat swan now? Zillah , Norwich Engand It's because they would take up too much space in the supermarket and there'd be little room left for chicken, which is much more profitable.

Plus, they bear grudges and if you try to catch one, all the other swans hunt your family down and break their arms with their wings. Probably. Matt, London, UK All these answers are untrue. The real reason for us not eating swans is because they are impossible to kill due to their bullet proof feathers. And if you did kill them i.e by slitting their neck in a 'Z' shape like Zorro then they would simply come back alive once reaching 165 degrees C in the oven. This is all scientifically proven by top scientists. You can see their research on Also I think the Queen might own them. Marge Balls, Nottingham, UK We don't (or shouldn't) eat swans because they are sacred; their appearance divulges their station. Karl Natanson, Ann Arbor, USA Not all Swans are property of the Queen only Mute Swans. It is not Treason to kill a swan and it doesn't carry the death penalty. Swans probably aren't eaten because of the above myths surrounding them. However they aren't very nice and taste a bit fishy.

Alison, Guildford, Surrey As Alison says, above, only Mute swans are protected so if you do get hold of a swan you would always use the Old Elizabethan Recipe for Baked Swan. To bake a Swan Scald it and take out the bones, and parboil it, then season it very well with Pepper, Salt and Ginger, then lard it, and put it in a deep Coffin of Rye Paste with store of Butter, close it and bake it very well, and when it is baked, fill up the Vent-hole with melted Butter, and so keep it; serve it in as you do the Beef-Pie Jim Bonner, Cheltenham Glos The meat is reportedly stringy but with a nice flavour. Swans were indeed forbidden as food due to being owned by the crown, and this resulted in a taboo that means they just aren't thought of as food (being relatively rare is another matter - after all farming them would increase their numbers). So it's much like the curious way that people in Britain and Ireland don't eat horse, which is a tasty low-fat meat, but just not thought of as food.

Jon Hanna, Dublin Ireland Swans ARE protected by law, and not just by an ancient one. The Wild Creatures and Forest Law Act (1971)consolidates the Queen's rights to specific Swans in specific locations only, but other fairly recent laws also protect all wild swans and their eggs from being hunted or harassed by anyone, anywhere in the UK. Swans cannot therefore be farmed legally (because clipping their wings would be illegal) and catching/hunting them is also against the law. Butchers are hardly going to make a living from road kill or accidental electrification. In short, Swans are not eaten only because the legal supply is extremely limited. Geoff, Crewe UK All rubbish. I've eaten many a swan. I mean, who hasn't? Mark, Denver, Natanson, US I think the law protecting swans should be abolished. There are millions of the darned things, they are a public nuisance and frighten people. I would love to be able to go to the chip-shop and buy a swan-supper instead of a chicken supper! Stuart, Johnstone, Scotland The queen doesn't own all the swans, only the mute swans on the Thames.

all the other swans are free swans owned by know one. the mute swans are eaten by the royal family and by fellows of st johns cambridge on june the 25th. they taste rather unpleasantly fishy unless they have been oat reared from birth Henry Walker, Reading UK I got attacked by one. What happens if you kill one in self defence? This one was really aggressive. Kirk, London, UK How in the name of the blessed Nigel does anybody, even someone dressed in funny clothes with a large hat covered in baubles, even dream of "owning" a wild animal ??? David French, Windsor UK Hang on, you can eat chickens?? Orlando Wind, Texas USA Mute swans are non native to our region and consequently are a threat to the chesapeake bay. The unregulated taking of mute swans is necessary to maintain the balance of this natural resource. So if they are smart they will stay on the other side of the ATLANTIC. However... they taste better than geese. Ben, Lancaster, PA usa You probably have eaten swan on many many occasions. A little research reveals that swan is near identical to other web-footed birds.

The only true way to tell is to try to feed some to a swan (the swan will refuse to eat its own kind). Basically it takes swan to know swan. Juan, London, UK Most of the swans in England are free, they do not belong to anyone. The Queen only owns the MUTE swans. Apart from Royals, the only people allowed to eat swan are fellows of St. John's College, Cambridge on the 25th June. Swans have a fishy taste, although the best ones are fed on oats when they are young. The most common cause of death for swans is electrocution. Please dont perpetuate the myth about ALL Swans. John Morrell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne United Kingdom Swans have an antibody that is lethal to humans. duke , london canada I've nicked a swan or two to get by in leaner times. They taste somewhere between Bald Eagle and California Condor. Mark Wilkinson, Wylie, Texas U.S. What about an anonymous limerick?

There was a young man of St John's Who wanted to bugger the swans, Said the loyal hall porter "Pray sir, take my daughter, The swans are reserved for the dons." Robert, Petworth UK Swan is delicious. So rich you will eat too much and get the runs. Patti, Fort Smith Canada July July July July is one of the most popular months for fairs and shows as days are long and light. Rushbearing, border ridings and sporting events are all common as well as events associated with the end of the school year. Some events take place on exactly the same date every year, regardless of which day of the week they fall upon. The following table shows events which are fixed in this way: Day Queen’s swans to be ‘marked’ in ancient ceremony – Royal Central Interest mounts for 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours list The ancient ceremony of Swan Upping is to take place from 15-19 July 2013. All the swans and new cygnets on the River Thames will be marked and claimed in the traditional ceremony which originates from the twelfth century.

The Queen’s Swans which live in the River Thames will be marked in the annual traditional census. During Swan Upping, The Queen’s swan markers and also the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers all mark their swans (the Vintners’ and Dyers’ company have shared ownership with the Crown since the 15th century) for reasons of tradition, as swans are no longer eaten even by the Royal Family. This year’s Swan Upping will start on Monday 15 July departing from Sunbury, and ends at Abingdon, Oxfordshire on Friday 19 July. The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, 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.” One of The Queen’s Swan Markers in the traditional livery.

The Queen’s Swan Marker and the Swan Uppers of the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Livery Companies use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs in their five-day journey upstream to Abingdon. By tradition scarlet uniforms are worn by The Queen’s Swan Marker and Swan Uppers, and each boat flies the appropriate flag and pennant. It has always been the duty of the Sovereign’s Swan Marker to count the number of young cygnets each year and ensure that the swan population is maintained. The cygnets are weighed and measured to obtain estimates of growth rates and the birds are examined for any sign of injury, commonly caused by fishing hook and line. With the assistance of The Queen’s Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans and young cygnets are also assessed for any signs of disease. The Queen legally owns all mute swans in the United Kingdom. The cygnets are ringed with individual identification numbers by The Queen’s Swan Warden, whose role is scientific and non-ceremonial. The Queen’s Swan Marker produces an annual report after Swan Upping detailing the number of swans, broods and cygnets counted during the week.

The Queen herself has also in recent years began visiting the markers at a certain point along their marking process and possibly will again this year. Whilst The Queen legally owns all swans in the UK, only the ones on the River Thames are censused. Swan Upping on the River Thames, in pictures - Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites Swan Upping on the River Thames, in pictures July 23, 2015 According to The Telegraph : Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on the River Thames, commenced today in Sunbury, Surrey. The ceremony of Swan Upping dates from the twelfth century and takes place during the third week of July every year. By tradition scarlet uniforms are worn by the Queen’s Swan Marker and Swan Uppers and each boat flies the appropriate flag and pennant. The five-day survey will also pass through Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Send me FREE Nobility.org updates!

Enter email address: Science meets ceremony in UK’s royal swan count - Salon.com Tuesday, Jul 15, 2014 10:30 AM UTC Science meets ceremony in UK’s royal swan count Topics: From the Wires , News The Queen's Swan Marker David Barber holds a cygnet before releasing it back into the River Thames, after it was counted and checked during the annual "Swan Upping" census on a stretch of the river between Staines and Windsor in southern England, Monday, July 14, 2014. On Monday the swan uppers were beginning an annual five-day journey to count the population of the waterway's swans, which have theoretically belonged to the monarch since the 12th century. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(Credit: AP) WINDSOR, England (AP) — The white, long-necked swan gliding along the River Thames looks serene, but his life is full of danger. If the sharp-toothed mink don’t get him or his brood, then floods, fish hooks or hooligans with air rifles might. Fortunately, he has a powerful ally — Queen Elizabeth II.

One of the British monarch’s many titles is Seigneur of the Swans — Lord of the Swans — and by ancient tradition she owns all mute swans found in Britain’s open waters. In practice, she only exercises that right along the Thames, and every year she sends a flotilla of emissaries in rowing boats to count, measure and check the condition of her flock. Known as swan upping, the five-day census is a uniquely British mix of ceremony and science that has been taking place since the 12th century. Still, one major aspect of the census has changed. “In those days, it was all about food,” said David Barber, who wears a scarlet jacket and a white swan feather in his nautical cap and bears the glorious title of Queen’s Swan Marker. “It was a very important food served at banquets at feasts. Today swan upping is all about conservation and education.” Barber has been leading swan upping expeditions for more than 20 years, accompanied by a zoologist and a score of boatmen clad in three liveries: red for the queen, white for the Worshipful Company of Vintners and blue for the Worshipful Company of Dyers.

The last two are medieval London trade guilds granted ownership of some Thames swans in the 15th century. Swans are now protected by law and no longer risk being turned into supper, but they still face many hazards, from mink and foxes to dogs, vandals and overhead power cables. Urban sprawl has also encased stretches of riverbank in concrete, endangering the birds’ nesting sites. “You could make (the river) more user-friendly for swans,” said Chris Perrins, an Oxford University professor who holds the post of Her Majesty’s Swan Warden. “I’d like to see more of an attempt to increase the number of possible nesting sites. But the water itself is getting cleaner.” On the first day of the census Monday, the “swan uppers” — those who lift the swans out of the water — made their way upstream in wooden rowing skiffs between banks overhung by willows and chestnut trees. When a group of cygnets was spotted, an oarsman shouted “All up!” and the boats surrounded the family of birds. Two adults and seven fluffy gray young were quickly hauled ashore, weighed, measured and tagged.

Within minutes they were back in the water, flustered but unhurt. Perrins pronounced the group healthy — a good sign. This winter’s severe floods inundated this stretch of the Thames and left a fast-flowing river that washed away many newborn cygnets. This year’s census continues until Friday, moving from Sunbury, on the outskirts of London, to Abingdon, 80 miles (130 kilometers) upstream. Perrins has been part of the swan census since the 1970s, when the population went into sudden decline. He and his colleagues found the birds had been swallowing lead fishing weights, which were poisoning them. Once the weights were banned, swan numbers rebounded. “The population has about doubled since then nationally,” Perrins said. There are about 1,000 swans along this stretch of the river, still down from the 1950s’ level. The river has changed over the centuries, from a tranquil waterway to a boat-crammed working thoroughfare to a haven for affluent pleasure-boaters. Most of the swan uppers are full-time watermen who work on commuter vessels, party boats or tugs.

For them, swan upping is both an enjoyable working holiday and a link to ancient traditions. In one of those rituals, the convoy pauses below Windsor Castle so boatmen can lay down their oars, stand and raise a toast to “the queen — seigneur of the swans.” “We’re all very close,” said 33-year-old Ross Hunter, a rowing coach and former Thames boat captain. “I know all the guys who do it. A lot of them have known me since I was a child. One used to babysit me. It’s kind of a family.” ___

Question: During which month of the year does the ceremony of ‘Swan Upping’ take place on the River Thames?
Answer: July