Survivor

R and I went back to Bempton Cliffs this morning for another walk before beginning our journey homewards. It was a more heavily overcast morning than yesterday, and pretty cold, although the wind felt a little weaker. I was trying to find scenes or views that I hadn't photographed before, and though I didn't think at the time that this was one of those - shots of gannets ripping nesting material from the cliff tops being a Bempton staple - I saw later that it was a far more unusual image than I'd realised.

If you compare it with this photo of a different bird engaged in the same activity, you'll see that there's an obvious difference between them: while the individual in my Facebook post has normal eyes with a pale blue iris, this bird has lost that pale iris colouring, and his eyes now look entirely black within the rim of blue eyelid. According to a recent scientific study, reported by The Guardian last month, this is likely to mean that he has had H5N1 avian 'flu, and recovered.

It's difficult for any gannet not to look at least a little alien, but to me his black eyes make this one look like a creature from science fiction. On the other hand, I find it very hopeful to know that some birds are recovering from this terrifying disease, and I hope that this individual goes on to breed successfully, and maybe pass on immunity, or at least resistance, to his offspring.