Britain's annual swan count begins on the River Thames

WINDSOR (Reuters) – The centuries-old tradition of "Swan Upping", the census of the Royal swan population on stretches of the River Thames, got underway on Monday.

The swans, owned by King Charles, are tallied by the Sovereign's Swan Marker, David Barber, and accompanying Swan Uppers, who take to the waters in traditional Thames rowing skiffs.

The 800-year old tradition lasts five days, covering the stretch of the Thames between Sunbury near London out to Abingdon near Oxford, travelling a total of 79 miles.

They count all the adult swans and tag and monitor the health of cygnets by weighing them and checking in their mouths.

Barber was hopeful they would find more cygnets this year after avian flu had diminished the swan population in 2023 and 2024, and on the first day of this year's Swan Upping a total of 16 cygnets were found.