Gannetry
There’s a Northern Gannet colony at Noup Head on Westray. Whenever there’s a breeze in the right direction the Gannets appear at eye-level at the top of the cliffs; so does their pungent smell.
Some of their poses are pure comedy as they realise I’m there:
There are adults and juveniles whirling about the cliffs. Here’s one in glorious juvenile plumage:
A blustery wind makes them twist and turn in the air as they paddle with their feet, adjust their wings and finally whirl off across the sea:
One is carrying what counts as nesting material, a long trail of seaweed. As it parades up and down the cliffs it has a near miss and banks fiercely to avoid a mid-air collision:
It’s hours of endless fun, whatever the weather.
More Gannets
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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