The NCI Portland Bill Lookout is in the middle of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the team are all in tune with their responsibilities in this respect. This page has been added to make readers of our website aware of the latest conservation works being undertaken and promoted by the NCI Portland Bill Coastwatch Team.
Lookout Pond
In the past our station manager, Geoff Peters, has noticed that the pond life is not totally indigenous to Portland Bill and when approached by one of our watchkeepers, Chris Lock, who wanted to bring the pond back to life Geoff couldn’t have been more pleased.
The pond is partly below the station solar panel array and therefore does not receive excessive sunlight during the day, although from the photograph there seems to be plenty of pond weeds growing in the limited sun.
Chris’s first challenge was to identify and separate indigenous pond weeds from non-indigenous pond weed and the small amount of plastic rubbish which is blown over the fence at times of strong winds. Once this had been completed the pool liner could be inspected and prepared for repair.
Already Chris has seen rewards for his hard work when a huge flock of Goldfinches were drinking and bathing in the pond before flying on. Another indicator of the improving state of the pond was the arrival of a magnificent Red and Orange Dragonfly, photograph below.
Chris tells me his next job is to remove the dead pond snails which were in-situ, when he took over the task of bring the pond back to life and maintaining the quality of the water by installing a water butt to collect rain water from the training centre roof, which will be used to maintain the pond level.
Well done Chris a job you have smashed!!!
UPDATE 26/11/2019
Visiting or resident wildlife reported to date since creation of maintenance program began;
Starlings, House Sparrows, Wood pigeons, Blackcaps, Wheatears, Great & Blue Tits, Swallows, Martins, Crows, Magpies, Linnets, Warblers, Redstarts, Ravens, Finches, Blackbirds, Redwings, Wrens Stonechats & unidentified others. The pond is also attracting many species of visiting butterflies & invertebrates. Frogs, Dragonflies, Lacewings & a host of other winged insects are also now being reported.
Martin Caine from the Portland Bill Bird Observatory is now assisting me with avian identification so a big Hi5 to him please. Thank you Martin.
Onwards & upwards. 
Chris Lock.
