Nesting site of Northern Gannet in northeastern Iceland. Hundreds of Northern Gannet congregate on a columnar rock protruding from the sea, which they also circle around. Offshore, Northern Gannet can also be observed diving into the sea. In addition to the Northern Gannet, there are a variety of other seabirds, and for the purpose of their protection, pets and drones are not allowed. A trek of about 2 km is required from the parking lot to the site.
Northern Gannet
There are roads at east and west side of Raudinupur Cape, and the west side road is closed, so you have to go from the east side (about 2 km away). There is a large lake between the site and the road on the east side, but it is not shown on Google Maps. See the trekking points on the map below for specifics.
- There are no large towns nearby, but there are several guesthouses and private accommodations.
- The road is not paved.
- A trek of about 2 km is required from the parking lot to the site. On the way there, there is a place where the Arctic terns, which are also nesting there, may threaten you (just by the lakeside, at the trekking mark on the map above). I was a bit scared, so I put on a hat and hood and left quickly.
- The nesting site is on a columnar rock, jutting out from the sea. The cliff top and the top of the rock are just about the same height. The photo point is on a cliff, and there are no safety ropes or fences on the edge of the cliff, so be very careful.
- The distance from the shooting point to the rock is quite a bit, requiring a minimum of 600mm. However, you can stand at about the same height as the circling bird.
- Basically, no one is around. I only pass 1~2 people on my way to and from the site who are also supposed to be taking pictures.
