Seconds out! Eagles square up for featherweight title in stunning image of fight in skies over a Scottish loch
- The white-tailed sea eagles were hovering at almost 100ft when talons came out
- Images captured by photographer Gary Jones from Buckley in North Wales
- Disagreement as birds became territorial over area and locked talons together
This is the incredible moment two screaming eagles clashed in mid-air over a Scottish loch.
The white-tailed sea eagles – the UK’s largest bird of prey – were hovering at almost 100ft when the talons came out on the Isle of Mull in the Hebrides last week.
The image of the predators, which have a wingspan of up to 8ft, was captured by photographer Gary Jones from Buckley in North Wales.
Two giant eagles became embroiled in a bout of ‘air-rage’ – locking talons and appearing to ‘shout’ at each as they tussled in a mid-air scrap
It lasted only a few seconds before one eagle chased the other away
The white-tailed sea eagles – the UK’s largest bird of prey – were hovering at almost 100ft
The disagreement unfolded as the birds became territorial over the area, locked talons and snapped at each other with their beaks.
It lasted only a few seconds before one eagle chased the other away.
Although feathers were ruffled, this was a joyous moment for the 52-year-old dad, who was leading a two-day wildlife photography trip with five others.
Gary has been visiting the Isle of Mull for 10 years, but has never been so lucky to capture a mid-air eagle scrap on camera before.
Gary said: ‘It was two males getting territorial.
‘Generally the eagles tend to stick to their own territories and these two eagles from different territories came together over the boat and there was a bit of territorial argy bargy going on which you don’t see very often.
‘Sometimes sea eagles will lock talons and fall together but this time it was pretty brief, lots of calling and squawking, they locked talons for a few seconds and then one chased the other one off.
‘It wasn’t as violent as it could have been as one decided he wasn’t going to argue.
Gary has been visiting the Isle of Mull for 10 years, but has never been so lucky to capture a mid-air eagle scrap on camera before
‘I didn’t think I was going to get the shot, I’ve been photographing sea eagles for years and this was the first time I had two coming together locking talons.
‘It was an amazing feeling that I got that shot but it happened really quick.
‘That was the highlight of the trip – that’s not something you see everyday – it doesn’t happen very often.
‘It’s not an image you can go out and plan to get, you just hope you’re right in the right place at the right time and I think it makes it more special.
‘I was pretty excited and got quite a buzz.
‘I’ve seen it before but it’s always been too far away to photograph.’
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