Swan Upping takes place this week along the River Thames

The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, accompanied by his team of Swan Uppers, took to the water in traditional rowing skiffs at Sunbury Lock Cut in Middlesex on Monday as the five-day count and check got underway despite the heatwave.

Usually, the baby swans would be removed from the water and taken ashore to be weighed, measured and examined for any problems.

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Swan Uppers check over a cygnet near Chertsey in Surrey (Steve Parsons/PA)

But with temperatures hitting the high 30s, the cygnets were only checked in the boats for health issues and promptly returned to the river to keep cool.

The Queen retains the right to claim ownership of unmarked mute swans swimming in open waters, but this right is mainly exercised on certain stretches of the Thames, with the ceremony dating back to the 12th century.

Mr Barber said: “Normally, we would take them out of the water ashore and weigh each cygnet and measure each cygnet for our data.

“Today, we took them out of the water, checked them over, put a ring on them and then they went back in the water.”

The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, in his red blazer at last year’s Swan Upping (Steve Parsons/PA)

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Mr Barber, who has been the Queen’s Swan Marker for 29 years, said it was the hottest Swan Upping he has experienced, prompting him to dispense with his traditional uniform of a heavy scarlet blazer, decorated with embroidered gold thread detail and royal insignia.

He still wore his white short-sleeved shirt with top button done up, tie and peaked cap, and did briefly wear the jacket to honour the Queen.

Mr Barber said the number of cygnets appears to have fallen, but it is not a cause for concern, with numbers expected to drop due to the impact of avian flu.

Mr Barber added: “It was very, very hot as you can well imagine being out in open water with really not much shade, but everyone has been pretty good in drinking plenty of water, which has saved the day.”

Swan Uppers take a break from rowing in the heat (Steve Parsons/PA)

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The Swan Upping ceremony dates back to when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts.

It is the duty of the Queen’s Swan Marker to count the number of young cygnets each year on certain stretches of the Thames and its surrounding tributaries, and to ensure the swan population is maintained.

Its focus now is conservation and education.

Swan Upping 2022 began on Monday at Sunbury Lock Cut in Middlesex and will finish on Friday at Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire.

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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