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Gannets

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 submerged. This, …

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 to right: …

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 make fine …

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 massive and …

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 an amusingly …

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Arrow

As the weather in Orkney has been so idyllic, I’ve been out with my camera for many, many hours, including sitting on …

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 from all that sea spray.

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 …

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Dive! Dive! Dive!

A joyous trip to Brixham breakwater was rewarded with a procession of diving Northern Gannets. Marvellous, aren’t they?

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Wet Gannet, shaking

This Gannet was very wet after a dive. As it flew past it decided to shake itself dry. I suspect it’s the …

Gannet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Greta Gannet

We’re watching the Gannets at Noup Head when the Puffin Whisperer gets very excited. She’s seen one with an egg. The adult …

Thistle at Noup - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Noup in the mist

Noup Head lighthouse isn’t visible until we’re almost on top of it. There’s dew on the grass and on the purple flowers …

Great Skua - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Bonxies on a boat

Great Skuas, Stercorarius skua, are known as Bonxies in Orkney. Their flashing go-faster white wing-stripes are a familiar sight as they patrol …

Gannet diving - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Gannet missile technology

As I child I read a book called Magic of the Senses by Vitus B. Droscher, a popular science exploration of the …

Gannet - Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Solan Goose

There’s time for a quick trip to Noup Head. Dramatic cliffs, tens of thousands of seabirds, breathtaking views over the Ocean. What’s …

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

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 …

Bridled Guillemot - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Bridled Guillemot

Visiting Noup Head on Westray is always exhilarating. It’s even more exhilarating the closer you get to the edge of the cliffs. …

Gannet at Bempton - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Bempton birds – eyelids

Blinking birds. Gannets are everywhere at Bempton Cliffs. I’m hoping to get a good look at their eyes. Gannets’ eyes are special. …

Gannet at Bempton - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Bempton birds – staring at the sky

Gannets look astonishingly alien, don’t they? They’re not inhabitants of this world. When they display to one another they point directly at …