THE North West Swan Study are appealing for help in spotting and registering the number of swans in south Cumbria and along the Lancaster Canal.

Mr Findlay has spotted a decline in the number of swans in the area over the past few years.

He wants people to keep an eye out for swans, and contact him with the date they were seen and the location. These can be ones wearing blue rings and un-ringed ones.

If they saw them on the canal it would be good if the could report the nearest bridge number.

Mr Findlay said: "This year we have had very few nests compared to what is traditional.

"Whether this is because we haven't managed to identify them or they have moved on to different areas, I don't know.

"What has happened this year is that many birds which started to nest have disappeared and we haven't found many young either.

"Swans will normally stop around in their territory with their young."

Mr Findlay did say that one member had reported seeing a swan with 18 cygnets - a highly unusual number of young - near Cinderbarrow. So there are still swans on the canal for people to see.

Mr Findlay added: "I still reckon they are in decline though. There have been reports of quite a few nests that have disappeared."

Last year the North West Swan Study ringed 102 cygnets. They went out earlier this year as the cygnets were hatching, and will return once the young are fully grown to attach the rings.

Swan ringing is a process by which the number of swans in an area are kept track of.

Two rings are attached to the birds' legs by specially trained 'ringers', which help the swan study, as well as other groups such as British Trust for Ornithology, identify them.

The North West Swan Study was founded in 1988 to monitor the Mute Swan population of the area.

Mr Findlay has asked for any information about swans seen to be sent to info@northwestswanstudy.org.uk