It’s fine dining.. but a bit of a dive
IT’S always the same when you find a good place to eat – the word gets around and the crowds move in.
These spectacular shots show the incredible agility of gannets – both in the air and underwater – as they go in search of a meal off the Shetland island of Unst.
They lived up to their gluttonous name as hundreds plunged into the sea to spear fish – even tearing a catch from their rivals’ beaks during the scramble for food.
The huge group gathered as they hunted for mackerel and herring – before returning to the sea cliffs to feed their young.
Photographer and ecologist Richard Shucksmith, who braved being divebombed underwater as he took the images, said the birds hit the surface with such force he almost lost concentration.
The 41-year-old, who was the overall winner of British Wildlife Photography Awards in 2011 and lives in Shetland, also braved hanging off steep cliffs to get action shots. He said: ‘The scene was both exciting and phenomenal, watching them dive, hearing them hitting the water and being immersed in a sea of bubbles.’
He added: ‘The dive itself only allows the bird to reach depths of a few metres, but they can swim very well underwater using both wings and feet for propulsion – this allows them to pursue fish down to around 30 metres (about 100ft).’
He explained that the gannets can swallow while submerged so they can eat more during a dive.