By Sally Siko
Another cool looking bird I spotted while standing on Jennettes Pier in Nags Head, NC was this Northern Gannet.These guys are huge and were quite entertaining to watch as they glided like B-52s over the ocean, pausing only plunge into the water below to catch a meal.Although it is tough to capture a pleasing photograph of these handsome creatures because of the distance, I was thrilled to see them and at least get some kind of photograph of the sightings.
Measuring in at about 3.5ft from wingtip to wingtip, Northern Gannets are one of the largest seabirds in North America. Both male and female adult Gannetts are dressed in a bright white, yellow and black plumage which looks quite beautiful when viewing them against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
Their body’s are missile-like in shape with long, thin, and tapered wings which they will tuck up against their bodies allowing them to dive quickly into the sea once they spot a fish.They’ve got pointy bills and large webbed feet which make them perfectly suited for a life spent below the waves in pursuit of underwater prey.
The Northern Gannet is a winter resident of the waters off of the coast of North Carolina. You can catch a view of these impressive birds by standing on the beach looking out over the ocean from October through late April/early May. Usually they hunt right offshore but to get the best view of one be sure to bring a good spotting scope or long lens of 600mm or more to really get a great look at these gorgeous birds 🙂
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5