Northern Gannets are very territorial. This photo captures the tense moment before two rivals lock beaks, the opening move in a wrestle that can last several minutes as each bird attempts to gain more ground.
With thousands of birds competing for limited space, these fights are frequent and violent, occasionally resulting in serious injury. Despite their elegant appearance, gannets are formidable at close quarters and are equally unafraid to challenge any human who ventures too near their nest.
With a wingspan approaching 1.8 metres, I was careful to keep my distance the whole time I was on the island.
