A pair of egrets battle it out on the water as they attempt to mark their territory.

The two birds viciously stabbed their sharp beaks into one another during the early morning clash.

Amateur photographer Simon Barrett saw the egrets - who were about one year old - grappling with each other at Tophill Low Nature Reserve, Yorkshire.

The 41-year-old year site manager, from York, said: "All of a sudden the two egrets that were at opposite ends of the pool came together right in front of me and started to battle.

"One obviously being the dominant bird on the pool quickly subdued the other egret and almost drowned it and stabbed it with its bill.

"I think they were fighting over territory as it's not breeding season. The battle was heartbreaking to watch.

"Seeing two magnificent birds trying to kill one another by gouging each others eyes out or stabbing each other with razor sharp bills isn’t easy to watch.

"There seemed to be no clear winner."