In pictures: Counting the King's swans on the Thames

20 July 2024

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Image source, Reuters
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Swan uppers make their way up the River Thames during the annual swan upping.
Image source, Reuters
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Swan uppers weigh and tag the young cygnets along the River Thames during the annual swan upping.
Image source, Reuters
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A swan upper carries a cygnet to have its checks carried out before it's released back into the water.
Image source, Reuters
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Brightly-dressed crews of swan uppers in rowing boats wait in a river lock on the Thames.
Image source, Reuters
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The King's swan marker gathers data on numbers and the health of the young cygnets over the five days.
Image source, Reuters
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Swan uppers prepare to tag a pair of young cygnets.
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It's hoped numbers will be up from last year's 40% decline caused by avian flu when only 94 cygnets were recorded.
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A crowd lined the banks in Henley to watch the gathered cygnets being weighed and checked over.
Image source, Reuters
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The annual count, carried out every July, saw the swan uppers travel through 23 locations over the week including Cookham Bridge, Henley, Sonning Bridge and Caversham Lock.

The annual census of the swan population living on the River Thames has been carried out.

Swan Upping involves the King's swan warden collecting data and assessing the health of young cygnets.

Brightly-dressed crews of swan uppers in rowing boats travelled along the River Thames taking swans and their young cygnets ashore to be weighed, measured and checked for any injuries.

The five-day count started on Monday from Sunbury Lock and finished at Abingdon in Oxfordshire on Friday evening.

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