Gannet on the water

I’m used to seeing Gannets flying at head height. Since their colonisation of Noup Head cliffs, their numbers have soared like a Gannet and the cliffs are alive with their calls.

One view I’ve never had up close is of a Gannet on the waves. They ride surprisingly high up. They’re very buoyant.

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey

It’s a glorious view from the Orkney ferry to Westray. Current mood: buoyant.

More glorious Gannets

Northern Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Nestbuilding Gannet Gannet nests aren't really nests. They're a messy accumulation of sea plants, used for marking nesting territory as much as… read more
Northern Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Hello down there Ever felt glad you're not a fish? This Northern Gannet was so close I felt I could reach out and… read more
Northern Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Fresh white feathers over turbulent turquoise seas The rich eggy-yellow heads of Gannets are a constant delight as they sweep past the cliffs of Noup Head. The… read more
Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Diving Gannet and Noup Head It's a distant view of Noup Head lighthouse from the bay, but when I see a Gannet circling I know… read more
Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) A drip of water There's a drip of water on this Gannet's beak. It's just spotted a fish below, so it'll shortly be completely… read more
Bonxie and the Gannets - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Life and death on the waves Strange things happen in the natural world. Here's a photograph from a sequence that I'm still mentally processing. From left… read more
Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Fine adjustments When you're heading vertically downwards at an eye-bulging speed, aiming for a moving target, it's useful to be able to… read more
Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Extra nesting material It's a little late for this Gannet to start bringing back more seaplants to the nest. Their chick is already… read more
Gannet Chick - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Hungry chick We're on the cliffs of Westray at Noup Head lighthouse, hanging over the edge again. I don't like heights. There's… read more

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