Psilos Bird Photography |
Love and affection Gannet courtship |
Gannets only ever come ashore to breed.
Over the winter months they spend very transient lives out at sea. At
the end of June 2006 I was lucky enough to visit the Island of Great
Saltee off the coast of Southern Ireland where I could watch at vey
close quarters the courtship and interaction of nesting gannets. |
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This is the classic pose that everyone
associates with gannets. It is used not only for courtship but also
for bonding whenever an adult bird arrives back in off the sea. |
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Gannets nest very close together and despite
occasional petty sparring they are a very social bird. |
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Pairs spend alot of time grooming and preening
each other. This is vital in order to keep their feathers in prime condition
and probably also helps with the bonding process. This is a wonderfully
intimate thing to watch. Their beaks are so powerful and sharp and yet
they are so very gentle with each other. |
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For more information on Gannets click HERE |
