The Jackdaws of Dyrham Park

Roof view - stone eagle

There is a wonderful old stately house to the north of Bath called Dyrham Park. At the moment it is undergoing major roof renovation which means it is wrapped in plastic and scaffolding and there is an extraordinary false roof as big as a modest cathedral draped over the top of this substantive building.

Despite all this disturbance, a jackdaw family has gone on nesting in of the old chimneys of the great house, flying in through a gap in the false roof and going down through a hole in a chimney cover to get to their chicks - which can be heard calling inside.

Incidentally these remarkable once in a generation views of the upper aspect of the old house are possible because the National Trust (which now owns the property) allows visitors up to a specially constructed walk way.

Roof under wraps

Parent jackdaw approaches

Peers inside. Anyone in? (They are and excited calling can be heard.)

Here emerging having fed the youngsters within with a beakfull of wastes

One of the adults - note distinctive blue eye

Fallow deer at Dyrham Park

Oh and Dyr-ham has deer too!