Screams and Streams: the link between river water quality and swifts

We have just held the first training event for Screams and Streams at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Project Officer Bryn Hall reports on a lively evening and explains how you can get involved. Darllen yn Gymraeg

Bryn (left) talks to volunteers

Screams and Streams is a short but exciting project running over the summer of 2025. Its aim is to answer the research question ‘Is there a clear relationship between river health and common swift survival?’ by working with citizen scientists who will perform regular water tests at 10 set points, as well as monitoring swift nesting sites across the Dyfi catchment.

So one sunny evening over 25 enthusiastic individuals came together to get started. Biosphere staff James Cass and Bryn Hall explained how the project intends to bridge the gap between academic research, communities and policy makers.

Conservationist Ben Porter spoke about the impressive annual migration of the common swift, how to ID them and the key drivers of swift decline. He wrapped up by explaining how swift surveying will be run during the project through:

1.       Estimating swift populations at 10 key survey sites.

2.       Assessing feeding behaviour from towns and villages.

3.       Establishing occupancy and success of nestboxes installed to date.

Jenny Lampard of Lab Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfi then did a visual introduction to water testing and the kit used, before a practical hands on session where the team helped the participants to practice using and recording data.

The event wrapped up with a trip to Ceinws, where the group grabbed a drink and got to watch the local swift population at sunset.

Want to get involved? If you would like to find out more or join in the water testing, just email Bryn Hall: bryn@biosfferdyfi.cymru.

Swift surveying can be done as part of our arranged groups, or if you are already confident with swift ID then using either the COFNOD project  ‘A Swift Recovery’ or SwiftMapper, both of which can be reached through the Screams and Streams App. If you have a nest box installed on your property, whether it is occupied or not, please let us know.

The Screams and Streams project is led by Biosffer Dyfi, working in partnership with volunteer groups Lab Dwr Dyffryn Dyfi and Dyfi Swifts, who are assisted by academic mentors from Aberystwyth and Cardiff universities. A special project mention also goes to the New Dyfi Fisheries Association who we are delighted to be working with. The project is funded by Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales