LEOPOLD M & PLATTEEUW M (1987) Mass occurrence of Gannets Sula bassana near Texel in autumn: response to local food supply. LIMOSA 60 (3): 105-110.

Exceptionally large numbers of Gannets were present in inshore waters around the Frisian Isle of Texel in the autums of 1979, 1985 and 1986. In all three periods, the weather in the area was calm, offshore winds prevailing. Only in late October 1986 the wind changed from gentle and easterly into a westerly storm, whereupon the Gannets disappeared. A long-term data series from a sampling bow-net showed that young herring and cod were present in exceptionally large numbers in the three years. In 1979 and 1985 both fish and Gannets stayed on longer than usual. Flying directions of birds, in addition to the locations of flocks of foraging birds strongly suggested that the birds used the calm and hence transparent coastal water as a temporary foraging area during their autumn migration. It seems likely that a combination of calm weather (resulting in high prey detectability) and large fish stocks will attract large numbers of Gannets, taking advantage of these profitable feeding circumstances before continuing their migration. Gannets Sula bassana

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