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 crisp white feather details of the newly adult birds are so fresh against the deep turquoise of the waves below on a blustery day.
The greater the breeze against the cliffs, the greater the lift they get from the updraft. There’s a sub-adult in mottled plumage just above me which already has supreme gliding control. Buffeted by the winds, it twitches this way and that in perfect sympathy with the rifling breeze.
I also love the striped detail on their feet.
Classy birds, Gannets.
More Gannets
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
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
Arrow As the weather in Orkney has been so idyllic, I've been out with my camera for many, many hours, including… read more
Gannet flypast on Kelly’s Hero Can you see this Gannet's blinking its third eyelid, its nictitating membrane? That reminds me, I must clean my glasses… read more