Brighton man spots sparrowhawk in his garden in North Laine

Tom Gibbs, who lives on Gloucester Road in the North Laine, was relaxing at home when he spotted the unusual guest.

Tom said: "I was sitting watching TV with my wife when, all of a sudden, I saw a bird land in the garden.

"This isn’t uncommon, as we do get pigeons. However, I instantly noticed that this was no ordinary bird.

"I shot up out of my seat to get a proper look, and there it was, a beautiful male sparrowhawk."

Tom said the hawk spent a while grooming his feathers (Image: Tom Gibbs) According to the Wildlife Trust, sparrowhawks are excellent bird hunters, often catching small species like finches, sparrows, and tits.

They sometimes ambush their prey from a perch or surprise them by flying low and suddenly changing direction.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says sparrowhawks are "fast and agile and hunt by surprise, using buildings and plants as cover before darting out at the last moment to catch small birds."

"They're adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodland, so gardens are ideal hunting grounds for them.

"They’re so quick, you might only be alerted to their presence by alarm calls and the sudden scattering of birds from your feeders."

Sparrowhawks are said to be skilled bird hunters (Image: Tom Gibbs) Tom said the hawk spent a few minutes in his backyard.

"He landed on the fence and the started to groom himself, plucking out chest feathers and having a little look around," Tom said.

"He stayed for around five minutes before flying off."

"It’s not every day a bird of prey lands in your garden," Tom added.