A Musselburgh woman was taken aback after discovering a bird of prey and the remnants of one of its meals in her back garden.
Lisa Waugh, 44, suspects that the bird of prey is a sparrow hawk and noticed the majestic creature at around 4pm at her Fisherrow home yesterday.
She describes the bird as being “beautiful” but the mess it left from a “demolished seagull” in her back garden was anything but.
The health care worker said that she believes that the bird of prey may have been forced into more urban settings as green land surrounding the East Lothian town is developed en masse.
Lisa said: “It was around about 4pm when I spotted the bird at my home in Fisherrow in Musselburgh.
“It is a beautiful bird but the mess it left after it demolished a seagull in the garden was not.
“It is apparently a sparrow hawk. It is such a beautiful bird and it just sat there for a while.
“I think all the construction on the surrounding green land will force more birds into the urban community.
“At the moment Musselburgh is a bit of a building site.”
The Scottish SPCA has said that they were unable to identify the hawk from the images shared due to their quality but offered advice for anyone who may come into contact with a bird of prey or the remains of one of their meals at their home.
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn, said, “Birds of prey do sometimes visit gardens as they can be attracted by bird feeders visited by the smaller birds they normally prey on.
“If you find the remains of any animal in your garden then you should call your local authority for advice on how best to dispose of them.
“Please do not approach any birds of prey you might come across.
“If you’re concerned about a sick or injured animal then you should call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
