RSPB Troup Head · Aberdeenshire

Among The Gannets At Troup Head

Sea wind, towering cliffs and the constant movement of Scotland’s only mainland Gannet colony

A visit to the Gannet colony at RSPB Troup Head is an experience for all the senses. Long before reaching the cliff edge, you can hear the colony and see birds passing the clifftops. The sound grows louder as you approach, mixed with the wind and the movement of the sea far below.

Troup Head is Scotland’s only mainland Gannet colony, which makes it a remarkable place to watch and photograph these birds. Thousands gather on narrow ledges, while others continually arrive and leave above the cliffs. At first, the amount of movement can feel overwhelming because there is something happening in every direction.

I enjoy photographing the birds in flight, particularly when they bank into the wind and briefly hold their position above the cliff. It gives me a chance to concentrate on their pale plumage, long wings and distinctive blue-ringed eyes. The changing coastal light can transform the same scene from one minute to the next.

Some of my favourite moments are quieter ones: a bird staring directly towards the camera, a pair greeting one another on the cliff or a Gannet resting while the colony continues around it. These smaller interactions reveal a different side to a bird often associated with speed and dramatic dives.

The walk back from the cliffs normally leaves me windswept and carrying far too many photographs, but I always come away impressed by the scale and energy of the colony. It is one of those places that reminds me just how much wildlife can still be found along Scotland’s coastline.