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By Mail Foreign Service, Last updated at 6:21 PM on 6th September 2010
This is the moment a brave seagull decided to take on an eagle mid-flight in a battle for fish.
Soaring over the Norwegian fjords the sea eagle was not expecting trouble as it scanned the deep water below for a meal.
With its razor sharp beak and talons the huge bird of prey swooped down for its catch of the day.
However, before it could grab the fish, it was subjected to an astonishing attack by a seagull which landed on its back.
Brave: A sea eagle swoops down in a bid to catch a fish, unaware a plucky seagull is on his tail
A word in your ear: The seagull briefly touches down on the back of the eagle, preventing it from catching the fish
The daring interception was caught on camera by wildlife photographer Paul Beastall.
In a series of incredible images the gull even seems to ride the back of the surprised eagle in a desperate bid to put him off his catch.
Mr Beastall captured the wildlife confrontation during a trip to the Norwegian fjords, which are also known as sea lakes.
The 38-year-old, from Cambridgeshire, said despite the cheeky seagull's attempt to disrupt dinner the eagle got his fish in the end.
He said: 'The eagle flew off I think more through surprise than anything but the gull didn't get the fish either.
'Happily for the eagle he managed to come back later and get it.
'When I first saw the gull attack I was amazed, I had heard that this does happen but never thought I would capture it on camera.
Success at last: The sea eagle returns for its fish dinner, without accompanying seagull this time
'The sea eagle has a wing span of over eight feet so it's much bigger than the gull and would be more than a match for it.
'But as you can see from these pictures the gull attacks from behind in an ambush to put the eagle off and hopefully get the fish for itself.
'In one shot the gull is right on top of the bird of prey, it's like a real David and Goliath battle, the seagull clearly didn't know the pecking order of things.'
Mr Beastall, who was in Norway leading an expedition to film wildlife, said getting the confrontation on camera was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
He said: 'I have been on photography trips all over the world and a lot in Europe taking pictures of birds, but I've never seen anything like this.
'I have been taking pictures of wildlife for more than 20 years and this is one of the best sights I have seen.'
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