"How lucky was I this week to spend the day winding my way up the River #Thames, on a beautiful wooden boat, in hot pursuit of a flotilla of six or so traditional rowing skiffs in the annual #Swan Upping census? It was a glorious day and a real privilege to work alongside a team so dedicated to the conservation (no longer consummation, as was once the case) of these magnificent birds." - Dan Kitwood (dkitwood) _ The historic #Swan Upping ceremony dates back to the 12th century when the Crown claimed ownership of all Mute Swans and they were eaten at banquets and feasts. The Sovereign's Swan Maker, David Barber (pictured) counts the number of young #cygnets on the river each year to ensure that the swan population is maintained and healthy | 📷: dkitwood #GettyImagesNews