The gannet chicks are now starting to hatch, with a brief glimpse of a tiny chick possible as the parents swap places on the nest. While the chick is very little one parents will almost always be with the youngster keeping it sheltered from whatever the weather might throw at it. The other parent will be out hunting down fish to feed itself and the chick, taking it in turns with each role. Once a parent arrives back at the nest the pair will groom each other and perform little bonding rituals before the other leaves.

At the moment the chicks are not cute and fluffy as they have not yet developed any feathers. Their skin is black and they look almost reptilian at this early stage. Soon they well grown the more recognisable white fluff and their body and head will be more in proportion. As they get bigger, they are also easier to spot through binoculars, so why not try and spot one of this year’s cohort of gannets while looking out to Les Etacs.

As the gannets are just hatching another set of young will have likely fledged by the time you read this. Ravens have had another successful year, and the young, as you can see in this photo, are getting too big to comfortably fit in the nest together. Once they have fledged look out for the juveniles soaring around the coastline.