Macduff Marine Aquarium: north east of scotland, visitor attractions, aquarium, macduff, marine life, living kelp reef, coastal habitats, rocky shore and shallow waters, deep reef and sea floor, sea lab, moray firth, day out, north sea, aberdeenshire council, school outings, education, fun and games

SPRING 2007

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF TROUP HEAD!

We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to introduce a new display in the aquarium. The RSPB recently purchased Troup Head, 15 miles along the coast from the Aquarium. Troup Head is home to Scotland's only mainland gannet colony and supports thousands of other nesting seabirds such as puffins, razorbills and guillemots. The cliffs there are sheer and around 50m high and not easily accessible to everyone.

The RSPB have installed a camera on the clifftop at Troup Head which beams back live pictures directly to a video monitor at the aquarium, bringing the wonders of this seabird city straight to us here. Visitors to the Aquarium are able to watch live footage of the birds and we look forward to following the progress of nesting gannets over the course of the season. Aquarium guides give regular presentations at the video monitor - we're all swotting up on our seabird facts!

Joanna McFarlane, the RSPB's community officer at Troup Head, says, "We are really pleased to be working with Macduff Marine Aquarium and to share this fantastic place with so many people who might otherwise not be able to experience it - is an opportunity not to be missed! The RSPB is keen to make stronger links with the community in this area and we hope that this amazing seabird colony will inspire all who see it to help us safeguard our marine wildlife for the future".

The camera is powered by solar and wind generated energy. There have been a few teething problems with the technology - the pictures are beamed a distance of over 14km - but these will be ironed out soon. It's a brilliant project and we are thrilled to be able to feature local seabirds at the aquarium in such an exciting way.

AUTUMN 2007

GANNETS GALORE

One of the highlights of this summer has been watching the gannets and other sea birds on the cliffs at Troup Head via the live camera link set up in April by the RSPB. We have followed with great interest the progress of a gannet couple as they hatched their egg in June then worked tirelessly over the following months to catch fish and regurgitate their food for their ever-hungry chick. The chick was a massive handful for the parents – at first it was fluffy and white and happy to sit under a protective mum or dad, but as it grew bigger, the parents were gradually squeezed to the edge of the nest – nearer to the snapping beaks of impatient neighbours!

The gannet chicks grew to full size and became dark brown in colour by the beginning of September. When they were ready to leave the nest, they took a leap of faith from the cliff-top onto the water and then paddled out to sea. They will spend their first few weeks in the big blue paddling on the sea surface until their wings are stronger and they are able fly – then they head to warmer skies off West Africa with the adult birds.

It's been absolutely fascinating watching the chicks develop and we hope they survive their first year – the most perilous year for them – as only 1/3 of young gannets make it through. The camera has been taken down for the winter now but will be re-installed in time to watch the action all over again next spring.

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