I swear I read somewhere failrly recently that there’s a guy who’s official job is the Royal Goose Counter - as in, he takes a boat up and down the Thames and counts all the geese. I was telling a friend about that, and of course he didn’t believe me, and I wasn’t able to Google anything about it to back me up.
And I still can’t. Does anyone know what I’m taking about?
They’re pretty greasy, either way.
Not sure about Royal, but there is a goose counter employed full-time by Scottish Natural Heritage.
Indeed. So he’s “The Queen’s Swan Marker.” Interesting, and thanks.
Isn’t there someone in charge of the Ravens at the Tower of London as well?
Really? I’m surprised this has never been mentioned.
They taste fishy apparently too, but somewhat better if fed on oats at a young age; however the Queen no longer extends her right to eat them. Electrocution is instead a greater mortal enemy for the swan, and likely causes the greatest number of deaths.
This is his traditional title, although as far as I’m aware he doesn’t actually mark any swans.
He used to, or at least his predecessors did, as evidenced by the markings shown in in here. Note, however, that the linked piece is dated 1981, and the system has changed to one of attaching a ring, or rings, to the bird’s leg(s). As far as I can make out, reading what’s in there and elsewhere, the Queen’s swans are left unmarked and unringed, while those of the Dyers’ Company are ringed on one leg, and those caught by the Vintners’ Company are ringed on both legs.
This year’s ceremony received a bit more coverage than usual as the Queen attended it for the first time.
There are pubs in the UK with the name “The Swan with two Necks”. “Necks” being a corruption of “Nicks” from when the swans were marked with nicks cut into the beaks and not rings.
Where is DuckDuckGoose?