They say the early bird catches the worm but one early-rising businessman instead captured an unusual sighting for Bermuda.

Rick Pagnani, the CEO of Newport Reinsurance and a bird enthusiast, was in his office on Reid Street at about 7.45am on Saturday, November 20 when something outside the window caught his eye.

On closer inspection, he saw it was a small falcon sitting on his balcony, likely blown off course from its migratory path.

Mr Pagnani quickly grabbed his iPhone and started taking photographs, one of which captured the bird with the Bermuda flag billowing behind it against the backdrop of Hamilton Harbour.

He said: “It was quite a moment. I very gently opened the curtains I knew I had something. Once I got the curtain up I watched it for a couple of minutes. I could see it had its eye on some prey.

“We had about two minutes of checking each other out – he could see me but was keen to get what he was looking out for. I had to zoom in because from where I was sitting to its perch was about 20 feet.

“It was magical, really beautiful. It is something you have to come into work at 7.45 on a Saturday morning to see but to have that it is invigorating – it gives you perspective.”

He suspects the bird was a merlin falcon as did an ornithologist he showed the photograph to.

Mr Pagnani travels between Bermuda and New Hampshire in the US and enjoys looking out for birds.

“My wife and I spent time in the lakes looking for bald eagles and a variety of hawks that either make their home there or are there during the migration periods.

“We have tons of birds we like to watch and identify such as the pileated woodpeckers which are big woodpecker beautiful red black and white markings.

“I have seen a few birds in Bermuda including an osprey in Bermuda one year.”