Some Troup gannets

Some late season gannets from Troup Head. Not this late in the season of course - there's no gannets left at Troup at all now, but they should start to return in a few months. These photos were all from mid August, when a lot of the chicks had fledged and many of the gannets had already left.

There was lots of preening going on, as the birds all made sure their wings were in the best condition for their months wintering at sea.

Those that were left ranged from the 'punk haircut' chicks which were well on the way to being fully fledged....

... to those who looked as if they were about to take off from the cliffs at any moment, and were regularly exercising their wings.

Meanwhile, there were still some very young, fluffy chicks too. I was wondering whether they'd fledge in time before the first of the winter storms arrived.

The gannets' bright yellow heads were fading fast, and there were still a few fights going on...

... although not nearly as many as previously as so many gannets had now left that there wasn't the same pressure on space, or the same likelihood of encroaching onto a neightbour's space as the birds came in to land.