Rye House Wildlife Pond
A rare species of crustacean has been found in a newly-created wildlife pond at ScottishPower's Rye House Power Station.
The 48 metre squared pond was excavated by station employees inside the station grounds in the summer/autumn 2005 and is gradually maturing into a little wildlife haven.
However, the discovery of a specimen of Fairy Shrimp, which is listed as a Species of Conservation Concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, has surprised staff and is significant in regional terms.
Rye House's Henry Scrivens, who manages the station's Biodiversity Action Plan, reported: "This was an unusual record and we hope it is a sign there is a population of these creatures on the site.
"The shrimp is only about 20 mm long, it has a very short lifecycle and often lives in temporary pools - so it was a good find."
Other species of wildlife have colonised the pond and its wet margins, which were planted up in spring 2006 with a range of native plants, including Reed Mace.
Members of staff from the site contractors, who helped construct the pond, have taken a keen interest in the pond's development and have transplanted cuttings taken from their own garden ponds and helped its maintenance by clearing blanket weed.
Common Frogs were among the first species to be recorded while the pond is now teeming with aquatic life including Water Boatmen and beetles.
It is hoped that, as the margins become become more heavily vegetated, the water body will be colonised by Great Crested Newts, which already occur at Rye House.
The amphibians have been recorded living in the station water meter pit and also may be breeding, along with other species of newt, on nearby land that was once the ash lagoons for a former power station.
It is hoped the newts will spread out into
the new habitat and increase their population. To help them achieve this, a "newt ladder" has been provided to enable the animals to safely climb out of the steep-sided firewater pit.
Also as part of the station's Biodiversity Action Plan, five boxes for bats have been erected around the site to benefit species like the Common Pipistrelle, while grasslands on site are managed to encourage wildflowers.
Other interesting species recorded at Rye House include Peregrine, Green Woodpecker and Kestrel; Badger, Fox and Water Vole; Lime and Privet Hawkmoth; and a range of trees and shrubs.
