gannets in clonea?

cherrieblossom

I was out for a walk in clonea this morning and saw what looked like three gannets , there was the familar plop of the dive of the gannet, they looked like gannets, right size and colour, but never saw them there before, If it looks like a gannet, dives like a gannet, flys like a gannet , is it a gannet or could it be something else, Any ideas anyone????

Cardynal

Very probable it was Gannets you saw, getting into full swing at the breeding colony at Great Saltee now and they travel far and wide for food ( often many miles ) , have seen them in their hundreds diving off Helvick head in late summer/early autumn , and that's only a short hop from Clonea.

Roen

Clonea Strand or Clonea Power?

I've seen them the length of the Waterford Coast, from Passage East to Stradbally thus far. Although I'm sure if they make it as far as there and Helvik as Cardynal said they would be likely enough to appear in Clonea.

I love swimming out, then lying floating so I can watch them dive off the coves and beaches here. Spectacular birds!

cherrieblossom

it was clonea strand, thanks for the replies sweeties, never noticed them before that is why i was so surprised and as I am new to birdwatching I thought I would check
, but not sure if I would swim out where they were diving , what if one hit into you ouch
happy thursday

snowstreams

Yeah I know of one guy who was swimming across galway bay, and got attacked by a diving gannet!
It cut his hand badly enough. It must have thought he was a competing gannet or something!