The Solway Firth Partnership and South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre held a popular family ‘bioblitz’ day at Dhoon Bay, Kirkcudbright on Saturday the 4th of June.
While many were celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, intrepid nature hunters were searching for nature’s queen bees (as well as a host of other bees, plants and other wildlife).
Despite being a very popular spot for locals and visitors alike the Dhoon, near Kirkcudbright has very few species recorded for it. The organisers set out to change that with their Bioblitz; a nature hunt that everyone can take part in regardless of their knowledge of wildlife.
Local wildlife experts were on hand to visitors identify and record what they found.
The day began with a session looking at the range of moths that were found overnight. At 11am groups headed out onto the beach and the mud with the Freelance ranger to see what they could find hidden under the surface. This was followed by a seaweed walk and an opportunity to discover some of the bay’s shells.
Nic Coombey, Solway Firth Partnership Project Officer, said: “The Solway Firth Partnership is a charitable organization and it represents people on both sides of the Solway, so both England and Scotland, and we’re interested in everything from conservation and the environment to energy, and commercial fishing and we’re really there to represent all those ideas and to make sure that we look forward to a prosperous Solway Firth..”
The event was run by South West Environmental Information Centre (SWSEIC) and Solway Firth Partnership (SFP) with funding from the Galloway Glens small grant scheme.
McNabb Laurie, Galloway Glens Team leader, added: “There ain’t no party like a Solway Firth Partnership party… This free event was a great opportunity for kids and grown-ups to learn more about what lives in Kirkcudbright Bay, from Moths to Seaweed, and everything in between.
The Galloway Glens Scheme is an initiative of the Council’s Environment Team and supported this project through our Small Grants Scheme, using funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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