It is pretty obvious that I love photographing adults feeding chicks. It doesn’t matter what the species. I was only able to witness this a couple of times. I love how persistent the younger chicks are! It looks so much more comical due to their size.
Breeding coincides with the ‘bonney coast upwelling’, a vast oceanographic phenomenon, that amasses huge quantities of seafood.
Plankton-eating pilchards and anchovies are the gannets’ main food for raising young chicks and are caught by diving head-long into an ocean that turns icy-cold in summer. Parents share responsibility for finding food, often swapping duties throughout the day.
via Wild Diaries
I’m planning to look more into the Bonney Upwelling, as it is meant to bring blue whales into the area.
I also recommend reading Gannets starve because parents too polite to travel for food: Deakin research. It appears that gannets can be quite ruthless!
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