THIS IS FINDON
VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com
created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West
Sussex, U.K.
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The dew-pond on the east side of Cissbury Ring, one evening in September 1996. |
THE LYCHPOLE DEW-POND
O.S. 1585 0855
Copyright Valerie Martin 2004
The dew-pond to the east of Cissbury Ring has been renovated and it is a joy to see the occasional deer stop for an evening drink at the spot. Modern dew-ponds are usually constructed and lined with plastic sheeting before filling (less romantic sounding than being puddled
by horse and wagon).
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The Lychpole dew-pond in June 2002. |
In July 2003, Owen Burnham told me an interesting
fact about the Lychpole
dew pond. It apparently has a population of rare fairy shrimp that lay eggs that
can
withstand dessication when the pond dries up. When water returns they hatch out
and live until the waters dry up again. Vulnerable to predators,
they cannot survive in permanent ponds.
They are an endangered species. Owen is
aware that similar species occur in Africa and they can remain in the egg stage
for years until it rains again.
I think it is amazing that they can live on the
slopes of Cissbury Ring. I wonder how they originally got there, perhaps
clinging to the legs of birds, such as herons? In that case I wonder why they
are not populating every pond? A fascinating revelation, thank you Owen.
Have you ever been newting?
In a dew-pond? As a fox barked in the Bird Song Wood, Suzie
and Katie decided to stick close to the dew-pond...
 "Where dem newts?" |
"What ARE you looking for?" asks
Suzie. |
 "Good Lord, he's got one!" |
And here it is....... a fabulous little
amphibian..... and it felt so light and tickly in my hand..... before I
deposited it back to its watery domain.
This is not a very good photograph because I have
to admit to my failings. I had the camera on the wrong setting.
A few facts on Findon newts: Outside the
breeding season they come onto land and live in damp places..... they are most
frequently encountered underneath logs and debris. Newts found in these
circumstances are sometimes confused with lizards (but lizards are quick and
active and have scaly rather than smooth skin)
Newts eat small invertebrates either on land or
in the water. Like frogs and toads they have a tadpole stage; a newt
tadpole is called an eft.
Distinguishing between Smooth and Palmate Newts is a bit of an
expert's job. I think the small brown newt photographed in the Findon
dew-pond may have been a Palmate Newt.
All the native species of newt are protected, to varying degrees,
by the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. The smooth and palmate newts
are protected only against unlicensed trade in wild-caught individuals, while
the crested newt enjoys the maximum protection possible, being protected against
intentional killing, capturing, possession, trade and disturbance.
In addition, it is illegal to release any non-native species into
the wild, including species previously naturalized. A maximum penalty of
£2000 per animal can be levied if a prosecution is brought.
Suzie and Katie at the dew-pond on a bitterly cold January
day 2005. |
Katie says "It's a good place to drink even if it's
winter". |
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April 2006 — Lychpole dew-pond.
Chanctonbury Ring can just be seen peeping over the downland in the top right
hand corner.
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April 2006 |
Continue if you would like to read about
The Stump Bottom Dew-pond.
This is
Findon Village —
www.findonvillage.com is
a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for
documenting life in Findon.
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