Man I love gannets! These birds were our near-constant companions when I worked on the fishing boats in Stornoway for four years, and they'd just follow us along, waiting for the nets to get hauled in so they could try and steal a meal or two before we'd get it on deck. They're simultaneously incredibly elegant and goofy looking birds, but there's nothing quite like being in the middle of it when they start diving! The photographs here are a mixture of photos taken of birds that were following our fishing boats around, the occasional coastal sighting, and then a good few photos taken on Bass Rock off the east coast of Scotland during a VERY foggy day which made the whole place feel like it came straight out of a Tintin book.
Gannets are related to boobies and (believe it or not) pelicans, and all are plunge divers. This means that they feed by circling over oceanic prey (e.g., small fishes) and will dive from height into the water. They can dive from up to 10 - 15m or so and hit the water at speeds up to around 60 mph to force themselves underwater to depths around 6m depth. This diving activity means they evolved thicker skulls and don't have nostrils. At their colonies, they have elaborate ritualized mating rituals that allow them to recognize their mate from one year to the next, including sky pointing and beak fencing. If you've seen blue-footed boobies 'dance' to each other, that's another great example of this kind of pair bonding display.