Overcoming the challenges of landing on Bass Rock in swollen seas, I absorbed the spectacle of this densely populated gannet colony. Thousands were nesting on the ground and hundreds circled overhead. Engulfed by a pervading stench, and constant cacophony of harsh, ‘krokking’ bird calls and with my feet immersed in several inches of soft mud; guano and discarded feathers, I attempted to capture the drama of one bird anticipating joining the throng.