A Gathering of Northern Gannets Along Sandy Hook

Like a switch was thrown, winter temperatures had finally arrived to the northern Jersey Shore. Despite a clear and sunny sky, cold weather really showed up towards the end of the week.

(An adult Northern Gannet flying over the Atlantic Ocean, near Sandy Hook)

As I woke, it was a cold morning with sharp northwest winds blowing 15 to 20 knots with occasional gusts up to 35 knots and air temperatures only in upper 20s. Surface water temperatures were not much warmer. They were in 30s in Sandy Hook Bay. A heavy chop was also active in the bay from slicing northwest winds that continued out into the Atlantic Ocean.  

While these chilly conditions might be intimidating to some, I must have a little Eskimo in me to go out looking for birds. Yet, I was on a mission to find Northern Gannets. The blowing north winds and chilly temperatures were just about a perfect setting to find this largest seabird of the North Atlantic.

Fishermen for the past several days were telling me about seeing large numbers of Northern Gannets flying and feeding all around the ocean side of Sandy Hook and down to Long Brach. So putting on a heavy coat and hat, I headed down to the shore to scan the waters for gannets.

(Scores of Northern Gannets on a feeding binge off the coast of Sandy Hook)

Sure enough, I did not have to wait long. As soon as I arrived to parking lot C they showed up by the hundreds on the ocean side of the Hook. Gannets were diving in the water so far and so fast to catch their prey that it looked to me like a rainfall of birds. Everywhere I looked, these large white birds were dropping from the sky. Into the water they would go with eruptions of spray once they dove after a fish.

Gannets are plunge divers and will dive into the ocean from heights of 100 feet or more in pursuit of a fishy meal. They can perform spectacular and daring plunge dives into the ocean to capture a fish with their razor-sharp beaks. They are impressive marine birds and a show all by themselves.

(When feeding, Northern Gannets conduct spectacular plunge dives into the water to catch a fish with their sharp, long beak)

At first I thought they were gulls, but these birds were too large, too sleek, too agile, and too white to be gulls. Northern Gannets, in their adult plumage, are snow white and tipped with black at the wings and face. They have a head that is streamlined and tapered like a loon's head, but with a longer beak and crowned on the head with a golden yellow glow. Juveniles begin dark brown and lighten up year after year. They are wonderful pelagic, albatross-like birds that dive like pelicans when feeding.

Easterly winds from a few days ago must have driven the wintering or migrating Gannets close to shore. I had seen these impressive, ocean-loving birds many times in the past, but never so close to the edge of the sea.

(A gannet just plunge-dived into water)

Summer breeding colonies for Northern Gannets are located in the far northeastern Canadian Maritimes, around Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. During the winter and early spring, however, these birds can be found foraging for food off the Jersey Shore, though usually well offshore and mostly over the chilly waters of the continental shelf.

The Northern Gannets seemed to ignore me as they were tracking and feeding on dense schools of small fish, up to a foot long. Both adults and immatures, were bombing the waters for schools of bait fish.

Maybe the fish were herring or pollack, but most likely bunker, which were still active off the coast. Just like Ospreys, gannets enjoy a tasty meal of menhaden. In fact, bunker might even be a significant part of their diet. Of course, the gannets could have been catching Bluefish that were chasing the menhaden. All the same, it was an impressive sight to see.

Every now and then, those of us who enjoy the winter beach along the Jersey Shore are privileged to encounter one of the most spectacular seabirds close to the coast. Unfortunately, the observations are erratic and usually do not last long.

The next day, it rained at Sandy Hook and air temperatures rose into the upper 40s. Their favorite winter conditions were gone and so were the birds. Yet, just like humans, Northern Gannets are tied to the ocean. When the north winds blow and temperatures are near freezing, I will return to the windswept shore for a promising front-row seat to see the "wind birds" of the North Atlantic plunge dive into the ocean waters for a fish.