On Friday 20th July 2018 the Royal Swan Upping will be coming to Abingdon.
Their approximate schedule is
Moulsford 09.00 – Departure point
Benson Lock 10.15
Clifton Hampden Bridge 13.00
Culham Lock 16.15
Abingdon Bridge 17.00
You could arrive at Abingdon Bridge at 17:00 and find that they have come and gone an hour before, or that there is another ninety minutes to wait. It all depends on conditions and how many swans they find. We really need somebody using social media at Culham Lock to warn us they are coming.
The Abbey Mill Stream area swans have 2 cygnets and are beyond the bridge and so will probably not get ringed.
The Abingdon Marina area swans have seven cygnets and so could well be caught by the swan uppers and get ringed.
“Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of the mute swan and involves The Queen’s Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of young cygnets and examining them for any injuries. “
“Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of the mute swan and involves The Queen’s Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of young cygnets and examining them for any injuries. “
And it’s also an excuse for a good p155 up
So where are all the swans this year? We had loads of cygnets last year which were still around earlier this year but have now disappeared. And a pair of swans were nesting at the end of Wilsham Road but they also have disappeared.
The swan-uppers seem to catch the swans in the Marina but noone else in Abingdon gets to see the swan-upping!