National Trust conservationists try
'umpteen solutions' that have all failed to problem of birds picking apart roof
of Grade I-listed Wiltshire barn
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By Agency
8:47AM GMT 03 Mar 2016
The National Trust is fighting to save
the £100,000 thatched roof of a historic barn at a World Heritage site from
jackdaws that tear out the fresh straw to make their nests.
The roof of the Grade I-listed Tithe Barn
at Avebury, Wiltshire, was re-thatched just three years ago. But, since then,
jackdaws have been picking
it apart - but only taking the newly-added straw, which is cleaner and
drier for their nests.
Experts have tried several ways of
stopping the birds, but they have all failed so far. Conservationists at
the National
Trust, which owns the 17th-century barn, are trying to find a long-term
solution.
"We've tried umpteen solutions to
the problem... eventually they've all failed. I'm beginning to tear my hair
out. It's so frustrating"
National Trust building surveyor Karl
Papierz
Ed Coney, who re-thatched the roof in
2013, called the damage "soul destroying".
He said: "We did the job and were
very proud of it and everything was fine, and then slowly it's been pulled to
pieces."
The barn was originally a threshing barn
and stands in the centre of the famous Avebury stone circle. It is now home to
a museum filled with archaeological finds and interactive displays.
National Trust building surveyor Karl
Papierz, said: "We've tried umpteen solutions to the problem... eventually
they've all failed. I'm beginning to tear my hair out. It's so frustrating.
"We don't know why they are doing
this, they only take a few bits for nesting, most is simply pulled and
discarded.
