River roll call as 'swan upping' gets under way on Thames

By Mark HanrahanSHEPPERTON, England (Reuters) - Six old-fashioned skiffs interrupted the sleepy pace of life on a stretch of theriver Thames on Monday as teams embarked on the annual "upping" - a combined census and health visit for swans."It's tradition - it's part of British history", David Barber, the swan marker on queen's crew told Reuters of the endeavour dating back to the 12th century, when swans were an important food source.The upping is in part about pomp and ceremony.