A walk on the wild side – why Bolehill Wood matters
Ecologist, and ornithology expert, Matt Falconer reveals the
special biodiverse nature of this threatened woodland
From the outside, Bolehill Wood – referred to by some as Cobnar Wood – may seem just a nice patch of greenery set on the hillside between the Woodseats and Norton Woodseats communities. But take a walk along the several pathways and you’ll find a treasure-house of nature…
…A variety of trees, including oak, holly and wild cherry, invaluable in themselves but also as a protective home and food-source to wildlife… and what a range of wildlife, from badgers to birds in all their variety, foxes to deer.
And as well as its value to nature, it is a place of fascination and tranquillity, good for the soul even more in this time of Covid, to another species – humans!
This is why the Friends of Bolehill Wood are campaigning to protect it.
But it’s not only we who recognise its importance. As an area of native semi-natural broadleaved woodland it is categorised as a Habitat of Priority Importance under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 (NERC S.41) and is covered in its entirety by a Tree Preservation Order.
Flora
The canopy contains early-mature to mature trees, the most abundant species being sessile oak. This native tree is characteristic of the local area, particularly uplands and hillsides. Oak is one of the most important trees ecologically in the UK, supporting more wildlife than any other native tree.
Sycamore is the second most frequent tree in the woodland, a species that has been naturalised in the UK for several hundred years.
Wild cherry occurs occasionally, its blossom gracing the woodland in April and May and its fruit an important source of food for a diverse range of animals.
Ash also occurs occasionally, its late leaf-out and early leaf-fall allowing plenty of sunlight to reach the woodland floor to encourage a profusion of wildflowers. This beloved native species is seriously threatened by ash dieback sweeping the country. Other trees that occur rarely in the woodland include beech, silver birch and grey poplar.
The shrub layer is relatively continuous throughout the wood, the most abundant species being holly. This evergreen species provides excellent nesting cover for birds and is most noticeable in winter, when its berries are a vital food-source for wildlife and its boughs are harvested by locals for Christmas decorations!
One of the earliest signs of spring in the wood is provided by hazel, its fluffy yellow lambs’ tail catkins opening as early as January. In autumn, hazelnuts provide essential foraging resources for the birds and small mammals.
Elder occurs sporadically in the woodland, its fragrant flowers and dark berries appreciated by locals and wildlife alike. Some non-native shrub species have naturalised there, including cherry-laurel, garden privet and cotoneaster.
Bolehill Wood is a bluebell wood, the iconic wildflower carpeting the woodland floor every spring. English bluebell is specially protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1982 (WCA) Schedule 8. There’s a variety of other woodland flora, including:
- cow parsley and wild arum in spring
- wood avens and foxglove in summer
- and the fronds of male-fern present all year-round
An important component of the habitat is deadwood, which is plentiful and supports a wide array of insects, fungi and plants. The standing deadwood is of particular value, providing nesting and roosting holes for many species of bat and bird.
Fauna
Bolehill Wood provides a home for a wide diversity of wildlife, which can delight – and surprise! – local residents and visitors.
Mammal species include badgers, which often venture into neighbouring gardens, sometimes with cubs in spring! This species and their setts are legally protected from harm by the Protection of Badgers Act (1992).
Foxes are regularly sighted, especially in winter when their distinctive mating calls in the night waken many a confused local!
The woods provide a vital habitat for hedgehogs, a species that has suffered a huge decline nationally in recent decades but appears to be thriving in the wood.
Pipistrelle bats can be seen every dusk during summer, and there are likely several other bat species present in the woodland. All bat roosts are legally protected under WCA Schedule 5.
And deer? Yep – roe and muntjac are sometimes glimpsed in the woods if you are lucky! The wood supports many small mammals too, such as mice and voles, which are vital components of the wood’s food chain.
The woodland contains a plethora of different birds, best appreciated during the dawn chorus in spring, a truly magical experience. Some, sadly, are on the Birds of Conservation Concern red or amber lists, making Bolehill Wood even more important.
Bird species include garden favourites such as robin, great tit and goldfinch, in addition to woodland specialists such as great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch. Spring also heralds the arrival of migrant species, including blackcap and chiffchaff, while winter welcomes its own visitors, including redwing and fieldfare.
The presence of birds of prey at the wood is a sign that it is a healthy, balanced ecosystem. These include sparrowhawks, which dart through the trees hunting, while buzzards soar over the treetops looking for prey. Meanwhile, the night is the domain of the tawny owl!
A full list of bird species recorded so far by the Friends of Bolehill Woods is provided below; we hope this continues to grow!
Is that it? Not quite! Although there are no ponds within the wood itself for amphibians to breed, common frog and smooth newt are regularly spotted in summer, using the habitat for foraging. In winter they use the wood for hibernation locations. So your garden-pond visitors may also rely on Bolehill Wood.
Bolehill Wood is a special place for plants and animals and is highly valued by the local community. Please help us preserve this woodland for future generations!
Birds Recorded at Bolehill Wood by Friends Group
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Legal / Conservation Status* |
| Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus | BoCC Green list |
| Buzzard | Buteo buteo | BoCC Green list |
| Woodpigeon | Columba palumbus | BoCC Green list |
| Tawny owl | Strix aluco | BoCC Amber list |
| Swift | Apus apus | BoCC Amber list |
| Great spotted woodpecker | Dendrocopos major | BoCC Green list |
| Ring-necked parakeet | Psittacula krameri | BoCC Not listed |
| Magpie | Pica pica | BoCC Green list |
| Jay | Garrulus glandarius | BoCC Green list |
| Jackdaw | Corvus monedula | BoCC Green list |
| Carrion crow | Corvus corone | BoCC Green list |
| Goldcrest | Regulus regulus | BoCC Green list |
| Blue tit | Cyanistes caeruleus | BoCC Green list |
| Great tit | Parus major | BoCC Green list |
| Coal tit | Periparus ater | BoCC Green list |
| Long-tailed tit | Aegithalos caudatus | BoCC Green list |
| Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita | BoCC Green list |
| Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla | BoCC Green list |
| Lesser whitethroat | Sylvia curruca | BoCC Green list |
| Nuthatch | Sitta europaea | BoCC Green list |
| Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | BoCC Green list |
| Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | BoCC Red list NERC S.41 |
| Blackbird | Turdus merula | BoCC Green list |
| Song thrush | Turdus philomelos | BoCC Red list NERC S.41 |
| Redwing | Turdus iliacus | BoCC Red list WCA Sch.1 |
| Robin | Erithacus rubecula | BoCC Green list |
| Dunnock | Prunella modularis | BoCC Amber list NERC S.41 |
| House sparrow | Passer domesticus | BoCC Red list NERC S.41 |
| Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | BoCC Green list |
| Bullfinch | Pyrrhula pyrrhula | BoCC Amber list NERC S.41 |
| Greenfinch | Chloris chloris | BoCC Green list |
| Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | BoCC Green list |
* BoCC – Birds of Conservation Concern listing
WCA Sch. 1 – Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 1
NERC S.41 – Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41