Summer is here! The mayflies are emerging from the river, butterflies are on the wing, fledglings have left their nests, and many birds are already raising their second brood. Meanwhile, the weather remains as changeable as June usually promises to be.
As we head towards the summer solstice and enjoy these long, light evenings, we hope you’ve been finding time to get outdoors. We have a fantastic programme of events coming up over the summer and would love you to get involved. We want to help as many people as possible connect with and enjoy the Dreel Burn, while playing an active role in protecting and improving it.
This season’s activities include everything from beach cleans at Castle Street Beach to children’s science and nature art workshops, alongside our regular water and invertebrate monitoring sessions. If you have expressed an interest in volunteering for us in the past, there is an opportunity to get trained in the Riverfly Partnership’s Monitoring Initiative and join our team of community scientists. So, whether you’re a long-time volunteer or joining us for the first time, there’s something for everyone…
🧪 Monthly Water Quality Monitoring 🧪
📅 Sunday 5th July
📍 Dreel Halls, morning
🎟️ FREE to attend, please email us for more information
Come and meet our team of friendly volunteers and find out more about how to get involved as a community scientist. The invertebrate monitoring and the chemical testing take place at Dreel Halls. Hot drinks and cake are provided. Email us for more information.
🌳 Dreel Burn Mini Scientists 🌳
📅 Tuesday 7th July, 10am – 12pm
🎟️ FREE to attend, booking required here
Calling young explorers and nature lovers! Join us for two hours of hands-on outdoor discovery as we release our inner scientists and investigate the wildlife of the Dreel Burn at Dreelside Woods. Together we’ll explore the burn, taking part in a kick sample to discover the fascinating invertebrates living in the variety of habitats. We’ll also investigate the surrounding woods and meadow, recording wildflowers, pollinators, and tree species. This fun and interactive session is a great opportunity for children to learn about nature, develop scientific skills and be outdoors. This session is suitable for ages 6-12 years. Bring suitable outdoor clothing, a drink and snack and a sense of adventure!
🎨 Art in Nature – Crowns and Mandalas 🌿
📅 Wednesday 8th July, 10am – 12pm
🎟️ FREE to attend, booking required here
Join us for a creative outdoor session at Dreelside Woods, where children can explore the patterns, shapes, colours and beauty of the natural world. Children will have the opportunity to create their own willow crown, decorating it with leaves, lichens, flowers, feathers and other natural materials gathered during the session. We will also work together to create a beautiful collaborative nature mandala, using items we discover. Perfect for young artists, nature lovers and curious minds. No artistic experience needed. Suitable for children aged 6-12 years. Bring full waterproof cover, a drink and snack.
🏖️ Summer Holiday Beach Clean 🏖️
📅 Friday 31st July, 10am
📍 Castle Street Beach, Anstruther – meet at the entrance at 10am
🎟️ FREE to attend, please let us know you are coming here
What3words location: ///bypasses.moth.bounty
Join us for our Summer Holiday Beach Clean on 31st July and help keep Castle Street Beach clean and welcoming for everyone. This is a great opportunity to make a positive difference to the local environment and find out more about how to get involved as a Dreel Burn volunteer. We will meet at the Castle Street entrance to the beach before heading onto the shore for the clean-up. All ages are welcome and litter-picking equipment will be provided.
We look forward to seeing you there! 🌊♻️
🧪 Monthly Water Quality Monitoring 🧪
📅 Sunday 2nd August
📍 Dreel Halls, morning
🎟️ FREE to attend, please email us for more information
Come and meet our team of friendly volunteers and find out more about how to get involved as a community scientist. The invertebrate monitoring and the chemical testing take place at Dreel Halls. Hot drinks and cake are provided. Email us for more information.
🦋 Moths of Gillingshill 🦋
📅 Saturday 15th August, 9am
📍 Gillingshill Nature Reserve, Anstruther KY9 1JS
🎟️ FREE to attend, no booking required
What3words location: ///retailing.good.kebabs
Explore the world of local moths in the Dreel Burn catchment with local ecologist and moth enthusiast, Susan Falconer. We will discover which moths are emerging in mid-summer in this beautiful location. Moth traps will be set overnight; in the morning we will identify the species and talk about their natural history before releasing them back into their habitat. This event will add to our catchment species records and help build a fuller picture of the biodiversity of the Dreel Burn.
🐞 Buglife Riverfly Training 🐞
📅 Sunday 23rd August, 10am – 1pm
🎟️ FREE to attend, booking essential here
Buglife runs the Guardians of our Rivers citizen science project, offering nationally recognised Riverfly training. Volunteers learn to monitor freshwater habitats by taking 3-minute invertebrate kick samples, helping spot early signs of pollution in UK waterways. The training consists of a 6-hour programme, broken down into two components: an online theory session followed by practical training at a pre-existing monitoring site.
During the training you learn to use the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (RMI) method. This includes:
• Identifying eight key, pollution-sensitive freshwater invertebrate groups
• Recording and calculating scores based on the invertebrates present
• Flagging potential pollution issues if the scores reach ‘trigger levels’
If you like the sound of this and you’d like to be involved in our Dreel Burn Riverfly community science volunteer group, please get in touch for more information on how to sign up.
To contact us with any questions about the Dreel Burn Project please email Heather Anderson, the AIA’s Dreel Burn Project Worker.
This project is supported by The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS), delivered by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government