VentnorBlog

[SteveL]

Folks, my first post, so please be kind

I am currently researching the Wall lizard colonies we have in the UK. Twenty five so far, but not all of them are current. Ventnor is certainally the largest and potentially most important of these colonies.

I am very interested to find how and when the Ventnor colony started. These are almost certainly animals introduced from (probably) Italy. The earliest documented mention of the species is in the early 1960s, but talking to residents over the last few days, including Jim Blake at his beach hut, I am convinced that the colony is older.

Any information would be very useful. There is apparently a gentleman, possibly in his 80s, and a cyclist who has been studying the lizards for many years. Any contact details for this gent would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve Langham

[waspman]

Hi Steve,
The wall lizards were first introduced in Ventnor way back in ( I think) the late 1860's. There is info on their introduction on a plaque near La Falaise Car Park. It gives the date of introduction and the name of the doctor who released them. I am pretty sure that they are subspecies bruggemanni, which is originally from around Tuscany. The bloke on the bike is I think called Anthony Millward, or Mitchell but I do not have contact details. He's not in his 80's though - late 50's or early 60's is nearer the mark. Try Colin Pope (IW council ecology officer) 01983 823893 - I'm sure he will have contact details for Anthony.
Best wishes, hope this helps.

[SteveL]

Cheers for that waspman.

Its kinda good and bad news. Good that there is a plaque, bad that I was in that car park 2 days ago, but have now returned to Surrey I'm sure my next trip to Ventnor will be soon though.

Also thanks for the leads, I'll try to follow those up this week.

While I was in Ventnor last week, I did start to map the lizards' distribution using GPS. When I have a rough plot, I'd ideally like to post the picture here for corrections and additions from local residents.

If such monitoring is maintained, it can highlight any problems with the colony, before any drop in population numbers is noticed. But I need to tie up with Anthony? in case I'm re-inventing the wheel.

Many thanks, and any other information concerning the colony is welcomed !

[doiley]

[mark compton-hall]

Hi Steve,

These sites have useful background info:

http://www.gifttonature.co.uk/ventnor.php
http://www.wildonwight.co.uk/species/reptiles.html

(if you have not already looked at them)

I have the feeling that the local schools might have an interest in integrating your study into childrens project work

If that might help you, please say and I'd be happy to make a few calls for you

What might be interesting, is if everyone who walks the Lizard Walk (Gift to Nature have a mapped walk from Ventnor Eastern Esplanade to the Botanic Gardens , and marker signs are large sculpted rocks with arrows made of a lizard mosaic). Keeps a copy of your map and updates it with every sighting, and keeps checking.

That way you might get a living diary........

Not quite sure how we get hold of GPS units. Mind you as this is unique to Ventnor.....there should be funding available..........I'll hunt around....where there is a will, there is a way

Also worth contacting CPRE-IW, do this through the membership list on the Forum. An incredible source of information for all things good about the countryside

Mark

[waspman]

Steve,
The colony now stretches from the Botanic gardens in the West to beyond Wheeler's Bay in the East. Suspect that the Botanic gardens population was put there, because it was possible to find them there before they colonised the gap between Belgrave Road and the gardens themselves. However, I found them in gardens opposite the cricket club some 5 years ago now, so they have spread into this gap.

The spread to the East is I think comparatively recent and natural colonisation - the eastward limit of the colony seems to expand annually and has now reached the boat park beyond Wheeler's Bay. Will GPS my most easterly sighting next time I'm down there for you.

As you can probably tell I'm actually interested in their progress and would be happy to meet up next time you are here if it would help - assuming waspman work committments allow !

[SteveL]

Great responses all around.

I'd be very keen with involving local schools. The Wall lizard project started from a forum very similar to this one, and the whole idea behind it was to use the internet community, and links to it, to gather information that would be useful for conservation.

The walk would indeed be a useful transect, provided its in an appropriate location.

I'm thinking on the best way to gather sighting locations....GPS is accurate, but not terribly inclusive. OSGB references might be a good way for schools, to teach map reading, but can be tricky in town. Post codes work well for residents, but not much help when you wander about....any ideas ?

I'll work on a draft map to get the ball rolling.

[/img]

[mark compton-hall]

Waspman will, I guess know best, but I think the mapped walk starts behind the Winter Gardens...as Waspman says, given the colony has expanded East, then perhaps a new marker point could be placed each year, starting with one near to Wheelers Bay.

Waspman, I wonder if a funding link with Gift to Nature could be found to support this, or we could always put a bid into the next round of Ventnor Town Council Grants (in July this year, I believe)

You never know, the Coastal Centre might be interested

Does anyone know what Lizards do not like

[dave]

here is my lizard it is a collared lizard which i think is native to america



does anybody else own lizards in ventnor?

[SteveL]

Initial distribution looks a little like this.......

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-Map service.

Input can be varied, but I used the most basic reptile survey protocol as follows:

By defining time, date and location, weather conditions can be correlated later.

If schools (or anybody else) can plot sightings using 6-figure OSGB references...that would be plenty of accuracy!

An annual process would produce a tailor-made monitoring programme.

If schools should be interested...It could teach wildlife surveying & monitoring to support biodiversity, map reading skills and could be extended to include threat assessment, species conservation and action planning. A very nice package really.

@Mark: if you know people who may be interested, please do make a phone call. The lizards and their future belong to Ventnor, not me, but I'm very happy to assist where I can I'd be there more often if it wasn't for the ferry charge!

[waspman]

Steve - will send you a load of records next time I get down there with some spare time. If you are going to involve schools etc. some identification notes might be needed, because around Wheeler's Bay and towards Bonchurch you frequently get common lizard as well.

[SteveL]

Cheers for that waspman.

I can knock up ID notes and even a survey pack if necessary. I'm the Surrey reptile trainer for the new National Amphibian & Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS), so I'm expecting a basic pack from the HCT any day now.

The Wall lizards are just a pleasant diversion

It great to know that Zv are still present, and this will add another fascinating dimension to any study, the interaction between the two species (although the cards are firmly stacked on the Wall lizards' side - aggression, agility, adaptivity & fecundity).

[waspman]

Yeah, the Wall lizards are bound to outcompete the common lizards eventually - but there aren't many places where you can get the opportunity to watch it happen in the U.K.

[waspman]

Steve I had work to do this morning but went out for a quick look at lunchtime. It's been so hot here for most of the day that the lizards had all warmed up sufficiently to go hunting or for a siesta, so very little about. Anyway here are a few more records. All records are for 14 / 03 / 07.

1.35pm. 1F Lacerta vivipara @ SZ57207766 (Boat park @ eastern end of Wheeler's Bay. This is roughly the eastern limit (to my knowledge) for the wall lizards at present.
All other records are for Wall lizard:
1.37pm. 1 juv SZ57157737 (boat park @ eastern end of Wheeler's bay)
1.50pm 1M SZ56647737
1.58pm 1M 3 juv SZ56417737 Eastern esplanade car park.
2.10pm. 1M 2juv SZ55907727 Southern boundary wall La Falaise car park
2.13pm 2M 3F SZ55867724 Wooden steps to beach nr E end of La Falaise
2.20pm 1F SZ55927731 N. boundary wall to La Falaise Car park
2.22pm 1F SZ55607736 Bath Road
2.25pm 1 juv SZ55947744 Belgrave Road - wall near Royal Hotel

Have included locations since these areas are usually quite productive, and so that others who might want to look but don't know where to go have an idea. All grid refs are done from GPS - I tend to only use 8 figures because I don't think they are truly accurate to 10 figs.

[doiley]

Wow, that seems like a bumper amount to me, I hardly ever spot any ... guess I'm probably too busy looking at the sea.

Any tips for how to spot them would be appreciated.
_________________
site admin

the future is female