Britain’s annual swan count begins on the River Thames

The centuries-old tradition of "Swan Upping," the census of the Royal swan population on stretches of the River Thames, got underway on July 14. 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. They count all the adult swans and tag and monitor the health of cygnets by weighing them and checking in their mouths. #swan #swanupping #thames #london #river #unitedkingdom