264 Of 365: SWMBO's Choice

Been down to Bempton Cliffs from Friday to Saturday, took quite a load of Gannet photographs. Took over 400 photos but after a bit of weeding, I got that down quite a bit.

NORTHERN GANNET (Morus bassanus)
Adult gannets are large and bright white with black wingtips. They are distinctively shaped with a long neck and long pointed beak, long pointed tail, and long pointed wings. At sea they flap and then glide low over the water, often travelling in small groups. They feed by flying high and circling before plunging into the sea. They breed in significant numbers at only a few localities and so is an Amber List species.



Biggest mainland breeding colony of gannets is at RSPB's Bempton Cliffs. Two mainland colonies - at Bempton and Troup Head, Scotland. Big island colonies on St Kilda, the Northern Isles and Bass Rock in Scotland and Grassholm in Wales. They can be seen offshore almost anywhere, especially when they migrate south between August and September.