I didn’t expect to be showing another Gannet trip so soon, but the other day, the strong northerly winds and a very low tide exposed the sand and mudflats over the end of the basalt flow into the bay, and the conditions somehow suit the shoals of fish that work along the edge of the flats.
And of course the Gannets come up the bay to feast.
There is something quite magical about watching these creatures slice through the 40kmph+ winds, a flick of the tail, an adjustment of wing angle, a feather tip control and picking the right body angle into the everchanging winds is wonderful entertainment.
Here are a few from your wind-blown scribe standing in the mudflat at the water’s edge.
Enjoy
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 
A fabulous series of images, David! Great to see the juveniles too!
Point of Entry is simply brilliant! Exquisite timing!
Wonderful to view!
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Thanks David, they are such wonderfully engineered birds. Just elusive enough in our area to make them special on a good day.
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A wonderful showcase of Gannet activity David ‘ the wind-blown scribe’, as it can be very blowy out in those locations as we have found also. It is amazing how these birds manoeuvre themselves in the wind, similar to the White-bellied Sea-Eagles I use to know. I always enjoy seeing the dive, so similar to the Tern and Booby.
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Hello Ashley, it seems that with a strong off-shore breeze on a low tide that the fish venture in out of the deep water to work along the edge of old basalt runoff. *there is probably a technical name for that!*
It’s an open baylet area and the edges only become visible a couple of times a month, suitable for photography.
They dive in fairly shallow angles as there is a limited depth at the edge, but further out in deeper water, its often possible to see 100 or more making repeated vertical dives.
Yet, the fish move on, and it’s all over in a few minutes
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Awesome photography David; a pleasure to view! Thanks for sharing your efforts…!
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Hello Lance, glad you enjoyed them. We have been fortunate to have several good days with them recently
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Another terrific series of images David. Thanks for sharing the experience.
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Hello Eleanor, I guess the strong northley winds do have some benefits.
It’s not often we’d see them fly by close in shore.
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Great stuff David. I was up in N NSW recently and saw Gannets operating in deep water. They are impressive characters…superb flyers, swimmers and spectacular to watch
Clancy
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