Swan Round-Up

Last weekend, my family and I attended our first swan round-up with Sorby Breck ringing group. It was a great experience.

We arrived and after a drink in the aptly named 'Swan Cafe', several people in a kayaks herded the swans downstream, where the experienced ringers caught the swans and started ringing them.

Teams of up to 4 of us weighed, ringed them (we use metal rings and yellow plastic rings), measured the wings, took moult and age and sex data. Then then we carried them further downstream where we released them and watched them swim off into the distance.

The Swans were really calm, it was great to get up to them so close. I look forward to next year and thank you for the opportunity.

Mute Swan being ringed