Tit for tat! Feathered fighters caught in mid-air bust-up over food

These dramatic images capture the split-second moment a tiny bird is ambushed by a rival in a fierce mid-air scrap.

Photographer Martin Goff, 50, from Rossendale, Lancs, snapped the incredible showdown as one great tit clung to the side of a tree - only to be suddenly attacked by another bird swooping in from the air.

In the first image, the unsuspecting bird is gripping the tree trunk when the second great tit bursts into frame, wings fully spread and claws outstretched.

A split second later, the pair collide, with the attacking bird appearing to wrap its claws around its rival as they grapple beside the tree.

The lightning-fast clash happened as the birds squabbled over food at Haslingden Grane in Lancashire.

Martin had originally set out to photograph garden birds in flight - but was stunned when the far more dramatic encounter unfolded in front of him.

He said:

“I was there on a day off hoping to capture blue tits, but these great tits started squabbling over food.

“One of them was clinging to the tree and the other just came in out of nowhere - it was a real ambush.

“They’re so quick you can barely see what’s happening with the naked eye, but the photos show it perfectly.”

The images freeze a moment that would otherwise go unnoticed, revealing the sheer speed and aggression of the birds as they battle for position.

Martin added:

“You can even see the claws coming out as they collide - it’s incredibly detailed when you look back at it.

“I was just lucky to capture it at exactly the right time.”

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