DYRHAM Park had a special visitor in the form of a very rare bird never before spotted in South Gloucestershire.

The small Penduline Tit was captured on camera in the car park of the 17th century National Trust mansion on Wednesday, March 11, by Twitcher Mick Sheldon.

Mr Sheldon, who lives in the Midlands but was working near the National Trust park, said: “I go to a National Trust place most weeks and stopped in at Dyrham Park while I was in the area. I parked up and spotted some tree creepers, so I was trying to take photographs of them and noticed this bird in the tree and managed to get a picture of it before it flew away.

“I had no idea what the bird was, so put it up on the British bird site and it snowballed from there.”

Martyn Hayes, from South Gloucestershire Birder, said: “It is a significant find, not only because of its rarity status in the UK, but it is also the very first time this species has ever been recorded in South Gloucestershire.”

Bird expert Ed Drewitt, who ran a dawn chorus walk at Dyrham Park earlier this month, said the Eurasian Penduline Tit is quite common in mainland Europe (mainly South and East) but is rarely seen in the UK.

He said: “They are very rare to see in the UK and people will travel a long way to see them.

“It is unusual to see a Eurasian Penduline Tit in the habitat you have a Dyrham Park. However, you are based quite high up - so a tit like this migrating back east towards Europe from Devon or Wales would probably stop in trees for a rest and a feed before continuing its journey.

“When I have seen them in Spain and Romania they are usually very well hidden in the reeds or busy at their hanging, droopy nests on a willow tree. The nest is made out of cobwebs, the soft fluff of bullrushes, reeds seeds, etc. Usually you just hear them, a long, drawn out whistle.

“The photographer was a lucky guy and caught the bird just at the right moment. I suspect that later that day or at night the bird continued its migration and is probably in the Netherlands or Poland by now.”

Three Penduline Tits were spotted in Devon this winter with two seen regularly until mid-March, but this is the first one which has ever been spotted in the Bristol area.

It is believed this may be the third bird from Devon, which has not been seen down there since the beginning of March. Ed believes this bird may’ve been stopping for a rest on its way back to southern Europe.

Dyrham Park is currently working a £3.8million project to repair the roof of the house and safeguard its future.

The property will remain open throughout 2015 while the work takes place with new areas, activities and exhibitions in the house, garden and park.