For an urban nature reserve, less than a mile from Bolton Town Centre and within walking distance of around 24,000 people, Seven Acres has a wild character that helps it support a wide range of wildlife.
Seven Acres boasts a fantastic range of habitats including wetland areas, woodlands, meadows and small areas of lowland heath. Much of the site is set around a steep valley, through which the river, Bradshaw Brook, flows over a rocky stream bed. Standing on the bridge over Bradshaw Brook in the middle of the park, it is possible to not see any rooftops but rather have a clear view of the Pennine Hills in the distance.
Roe deer are the largest mammal to frequent Seven Acres, using Bradshaw Brook as a corridor to move up and down the valley. Other mammals which have been recorded on-site include rabbits, grey squirrel, foxes, bats, weasel and various small mammals such as voles and field mice. Seven Acres has a good range of birds with over 50 species recorded on-site including Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk and Grasshopper Warbler.
Butterfly surveys have been undertaken on Seven Acres for the past five years now by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. During this time 4242 butterflies from 22 different species have been sighted (see table below). The predominant butterfly is the Meadow Brown of which it is not uncommon to count over one hundred in a single two hour period. Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and the four main Whites are also particularly abundant. A few more scarce species have also been spotted including the Dark Green Fritillary, Clouded Yellow and Wall Brown. Butterflies can be seen throughout the summer but to witness Seven Acres butterflies in their full splendour a visit should be made in July when 13 different species can be seen.
The Peacock butterfly (picture taken on site) is another common visitor to Seven Acres. Its name derives from the large eyespots on its wings which are similar to those on the plumage of peacocks. |
Seven Acres has a plethora of aquatic habitats from the Brook that runs through the site to a medieval leat to eight ponds spread throughout the site. The ponds support four species of breeding amphibian, Common frog, Common toad, Smooth newt, and Palmate newt. These wonderful animals are easy to miss if you are not looking so for the best chance to see them come along on an amphibian survey held annually throughout spring.
These wetland systems also support a wide range of dragonflies and damselflies. Thirteen species can be found on site including Broad-bodied chaser, Beautiful demosielle, Southern Hawker and Emperor. Different ponds support different species but for a guaranteed sighting see the bottom pond near to the Bury Road entrance.
To establish species diversity at Seven Acres and to monitor the impact of habitat management work Lancashire Wildlife Trust undertake various ecological surveys at the site. These include:
- Breeding Bird Survey
- Butterfly Survey
- Dragonfly Survey
- Bat Survey
- Small mammal Survey
- Vegetation Survey
If you are interested in volunteering to assist with or lead on one of the ecological surveys why not join us? For more details contact James Hall at Lancashire Wildlife Trust on 01204 663754 or email jhall@lancswt.org.uk