ON GANNETS 
     
    
   
   
    
     GANNET WATCH 1981 
     
     by Geoff Hogan 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     From late summer throughout the fall, a common sight off the shores of 
     
     Prince Edward Island is large white birds (goose—sized) with black wing ends. 
     
    

    
     At first glance they may be mistaken for large gulls although, on closer 
     
     inspection, it can be seen that they have a distinctive 'pointed at both ends' 
     
     look. These are Gannets (Morus bassanus). 
     
    

    
     If observed at close renge the adult Gannet has a yellowish tinge covering 
     
     the neck and head, and pale blue eyes. The sharp—pointed bill, adapted for 
     
     grasping fish, is somewhat longer than the head, and the tail is long and tapered. 
     
     First year birds are completely dark brown with small white spots, while the two 
     
     to three year old individuals are intermediate in colour, often with an interesting 
     
     piebald appearance. 
     
    

    
     Gannets are the largest seabirds regularly found in the North Atlantic. Their 
     
     North American breeding distribution is confined to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and 
     
     eastern Newfoundland. They also nest in the British Isles, Norway and Iceland. 
     
     Gannets are strictly marine birds whose breeding colonies are located on the 
     
     rocky cliffs or flat tops of isolated islands or, more rarely, on a mainland cliff. 
     
     There are six breeding colonies in Atlantic Canada. The most famous of these, an 
     
     important tourist attraction, is on the towering 400 foot cliffs of Bonaventure 
     
     Island, Gaspé Peninsula, where 17,281 pairs nested in 1973 (Brown et_al.,l975). 
     
     Another colony, on Bird Rock in the Magdalen Islands, was once the largest colony 
     
     in the world with an estimated 110,000 pairs in 1834 (Cramp, 1977). Heavy 
     
     persecution of this colony by man in the nineteenth century drastically reduced 
     
     its size and in 1973 there were 4,527 pairs nesting there (Brown et_al,, 1975). 
     
    

    
     Although Gannets historically have never nested on Prince Edward Island they 
     
     are common transients off our shores during the spring and fall. Single 
     
     individuals or small groups can be observed as they search for fish such as 
     
     mackeral and herring. In spring the Gannets migrate north to the breeding colonies 
     
     and in the fall they disperse to warmer waters off the southern United States. 
     
     Unlike their relatives the cormorants, Gannets are famous for their spectacular 
     
     dives for fish. Sometimes diving from heights of 120 feet, they send up sprays 
     
     of water as they plunge beneath the surface. This is especially exciting to watch 
     
     if many birds are diving tigether on the same school of fish. 
     
    

    
     In order for members of the Natural History Society to View the migrating 
     
     Gannets, a field trip will be held Saturday, October 10 on the Wood Islands, P.E.I. 
     
     to Caribou, N.S. ferry crossing. Cars will be left at the Wbod Islands dock during 
     
     the crossing. Details of the time of departure can be found in the 'News and Notes' 
     
     section of this issue. Anyone interested in taking the Borden, P.E.I. to Cape 
     
     Tormentine, N.B. ferry crossing on the same day is encouraged to do so as the 
     
     count results can then be compared. In addition to Gannets other sightings may 
     
     include: migrating passerines, sea ducks, gulls, cormorants, loons,seals and 
     
     porpoises., The trip is scheduled regardless of weather so dress accordingly. 
     
     Binoculars are highly recommended. For more information contact: Geoff Hogan, 
     
     Biology Dept., U.P.E.I., 892-4121 (ext. 170)., 
     
    
   
   
    
     References: Brown, R.G.B.; D.N.Nettleship; P.Germaine;C.E.Tull; and T.Davis. 1975. 
     
     Atlas of eastern Canadian seabirds. CWS cat. no. cw66-44/1975, 
     
     Ottawa 220p. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Cramp, S. 1977. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East 
     
     and North Africa. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol.l. 
     
     Oxford Univ. Press. London 722p. 
     
    
   
   
    
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