The gusty North Westerly winds that we've been experiencing around the South today, brought a number of Australasian Gannets well up the Derwent River, certainly as far as the Tasman Bridge. I watched several from the Second Bluff at Bellerive, as they quartered the waters off Howrah and Bellerive Beaches, occasionally finding their prey and making spectacular dives from 20 metres or so. I couldn't determine their success rate, or whether they were after fish or squid, but judging from the length of time they were underwater, I would assume their prey was fairly deep in the water. I have observed Gannets fishing in both hemispheres, but never tire of watching them.(All these shots were taken of birds off Howrah).
Great shots, Alan. I especially like the one of the bird about to take the plunge. And the one with the houses in the background makes an interesting contrast.
ReplyDeleteThanks John. After your comments, I decided to replace the "splashdown" with another diving shot. I have a number of other shots of the gannets, but thought the contrast with houses showed something of the proximity of the activity to the shore--photographically, still a long way away.
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