Of all of our seabirds gannets definitely win the competition for the most amazing diving technique. They can drop from the sky like a feathered dart from heights of up to 30m, hitting the water at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour. The deepest dive recorded from a Grassholm gannet was 25m. To have worked out the refraction of the water’s surface and still be on target for their fish over that sort of distance is truly amazing. They have a number of adaptations to help them achieve this, folding their wings back against their bodies a split second before entering the water, inflating air sacs in their head and body to cushion the impact with the water as well as having a secondary eyelid to protect their eyes and internal nostrils with baffles to prevent water ingress. We are lucky to have the 4th largest gannetry in the world here in Pembrokeshire on Grassholm Island. If you want to come and sea this amazing spectacle get in touch. #natureisamazing Thanks to Lyndon Lomax for the photos
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