STUNNING images show the moment two gannets brawled with their beaks whilst fighting in the water.
Melissa Peakman snapped the incredibly detailed images last month whilst on a boat trip off the coast of Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
Melissa, from Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire, watched the pair of aggressive sea birds fight for a whole five minutes before they dispersed.
The 53-year-old snapped shots as the birds tried forcing each other under the water and attempted to hit each other in the eyes with their sharp beaks.
One stunningly intricate image shows the two gannets face-to-face in a heated exchange.
The gannets are sat very close to each other on the water with their beaks overlapped as they attempt to bite each other.
Another image shows the two birds’ long bills, usually used to catch fish, wrapped tightly around each other, as one manages to bite down on the other head.
Another striking image captured the moment that one gannet clutched the others entire head between its beak.
The unique angle of the shot makes it appear that the helpless gannet has been forced down the others throat.
The amazing images display clearly the two birds sheet white feathers next to their piercing blue eyes.
Melissa posted her wonderful pictures to Facebook on Friday writing: “Fighting gannets.
“Taken last Tuesday at the foot of Bempton Cliffs.”
“Not chummed.”
Melissa’s post has now collected dozens of likes with Facebook users impressed by the snapshots.
One user wrote: “Wow great pics.”
Whilst another said: “Brilliant pictures.”
One member replied: “Good set nice one.”
Another user commented: “Brilliant set Lissa.”
Speaking today, Melissa said: “We were ready to turn around when the skipper and I both saw three gannets in the water ahead.
“Two of them were evidently fighting, one to one.
“The skipper approached really slowly and steadily and one gannet took off.
“The two who were fighting didn’t notice us approaching.
“The whole fight lasted about five minutes from when I saw them until my last photograph, but seemed to go on for much longer.
“I’m sure that if they hadn’t eventually noticed us they would have caused damage to each other.
“Those beaks could have inflicted some serious injuries.
“The birds had their beaks interlocked and were physically trying to force one another under the water.
“There was a lot of splashing from their wings as they each tried to dominate the other.
“They have really sharp beaks and were trying to get to each other’s eyes.”
