Under a Royal Charter, the Vintners’ Company (in red) and the Dyers’ Company (in blue), two Livery Companies of the City of London, have a part ownership with Her Majesty the Queen of the mute swans on the River Thames.

In the distant past swans were a royal delicacy.

Nowadays they don’t get eaten but if caught, the Vintners and the Dyers ring the swan’s feet on the Queen’s behalf, aided and abetted by animal experts from places like Oxford University .

The week long census ends at Abingdon Bridge…

where a toast is made to their patron the Queen. The actual time they will arrive in Abingdon is unpredicatable. Last year Culham Lock was not working and they were delayed. This year they made good time, found the swans with the six Abingdon born cygnets near the Marina, and finished at around 5 PM.

They did not catch the swan with the two cygnets seen in last weekend’s blog.

Everything is unloaded on Naggs Head Island before they go to one of the local pubs for a few more drinks.