Numbers up in Swan Upping

This year’s Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames, is showing positive signs for the royal population after David Barber, Swan Marker to The King, reported a positive boost in numbers so far on their 79 mile quest up river. Despite concerns earlier in the year when the area was hit by bird flu, the numbers counted so far have risen compared to those of last year.

The Upping began on Monday with a 9am start at Sunbury lock and the team continue to row their Thames Skiffs up stream (or hitch lifts from some of their powered craft flotilla when time is short) all the way to Abingdon where they will aim to finish at 5pm on Friday 17 July. Along the way, families of swans are rounded up using a ring of skiffs that gets tighter and tighter until the birds can be safely “lifted up” off the water – hence the term upping, explained Jeremy McCarthy, Bargemaster and Beadle for the Dyers Livery Co. The boatmen use soft ties to restrain the birds, allowing them to be safely weighed, measured and checked for injuries.

No longer a bird to be feasted upon, as was the case for monarch’s such as Henry VIII, the swan population in a protected one, with some marked swans belonging to Livery companies, and all unmarked swans belonging to King Charles. These days there are two main aims for the upping: Conservation of the mute swan population as well as education.

From Hambleden to Henley Bridge, there were 8 cygnets recorded – a much larger brood than was expected with the average being just 2.8 – with more to be counted on the way up to Marsh Lock. With predators on the river including mink, red kites, otters, stray dogs and even humans, the risks to the young are high. The cygnet’s health is always checked as part of the process, and on Monday, one was found to have a large fishing hook attached. Sadly, this is not an unusual injury, however, the bird had the hook removed and was cleaned and treated before being put back on the river. The lump of tackle and lines was then shown to the children from Sacred Heart and Trinity who had answered the official invite to attend.

The children watched the boats moor up at Leander Club and then followed the uppers into the garden where they were given a talk all about the history of the birds, upping and why and how they should look after them. They were invited to make the call “All Up!” the command given to the boats when the swans are ready to be collected, were able to stroke some cygnets and had a go at tying each other up with soft bows, the same as they use on the swans. Hermione Edwards-Arnison from Sacred Heart enjoyed the whole event saying: “The cygnets were sooo cute – I’ve never been able to get so close to one before. I also had no idea that the birds were protected.”

School Teaching Assistant, Mrs Jackie Peters, who has been attending the upping every year since the schools were invited said: “I love coming down to the Upping, it’s such a lovely tradition. We get a royal invite and I feel it would be rude if we turned it down, but the children get so much out of it. There’s nothing like learning about something in real-life and to learn more about something you can see so easily in your own home town is powerful. It always surprises me what details the children pick up on each year – you never know what it is that is going to spark their interest!”

Both Trinity and Sacred Heart received royal certificates to take back to school with them from David Barber, who has now been the official swan marker for 34 years. He explained how he thinks he got the job all those years ago because of his interest in nature and conservation, but mostly because of his passion for educating the younger generation. “I like to see how the swan populations are doing, and it varies over the years, but the education side is something I’ve always been particularly keen on and is working very well. The school children love it! They get excited when we bring out the cygnets and they love the fact that they can touch them, which is of course something you can’t usually do. It never gets old.”