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There are some amazing wildlife encounters to be found in the UK but spending time at a Gannet Colony is one of the best experiences in the Natural world. The UK can boast of supporting some of the world’s largest colonies. Some of these colonies are remote and the logistics involved in getting to them are very difficult. Over the years I have visited most of them but one small colony has always stood out for me. Great Saltee supports a small population of this majestic bird but what it lacks in numbers makes up for its accessibility. I first went to Saltee a few years ago where I camped on the island but I loved the place so much I have been back many times since.

The great thing about the colony on Saltee is the quality of the light in the evening as the setting sun can bath the colony in glorious light. I have been unfortunate on many of my visits in the past but on this trip I finally got lucky as the weather was superb for the three days that I was there. I think the best time to visit any seabird colony is earlier in the season as there is so much activity going on. As the birds start to return they perform their elegant courtship ritual. The pair dances together rubbing their huge bills from side to side, as if they are fencing. It is a spectacular display to capture.

The pair also rubber stamp the bond between them by preening each other. Again this behaviour is so elegant and makes a lovely image.

During this early part of the season the Gannets also seem to be constantly flying in with nesting material. They can use anything to build their nest from vegetation to bits of old fishing line, which can and does cause problems once the chicks hatch.

They make great subjects for portraits and some looks can be very comical.

The other great thing about the Gannet colony on Saltee is the opportunity for photographing them in flight. You need two things in your favour and that is the light but also the wind direction. On my previous visits I have either had the light but the wrong direction of the wind or vice-versa. This year I was so lucky to have all the right ingredients and so the opportunity for flight shots was superb. I used my 1DX and 300mm F2.8 combination and the hit rate was amazing. As I was looking through my images I was so impressed with the amount of images which were sharp. The wind was quite strong too and as the birds came back they would just hover in the wind before crashing into land. Some of the poses the Gannets make with their wings are great and so you can get many different looking images.

Saltee really is a fantastic place for photographing this stunning Seabird and I would never get bored in spending time on this island. We have run trips to this island for a number of years and combining the Island of Skomer, which is one of the best in the UK for seeing that other iconic British seabird the Puffin.

We still have a few places for next year’s trip which you can find by following this link which takes you to the SeabirdSpectacular page. If you have never photographed at a Seabird colony before then this really is a great trip. Be warned though once you have caught the seabird bug there is no going back.

Cheers, Danny