Bass Rock

The Scottish Seabird Centre offers the chance to watch marine wildlife in its natural habitat.

The below footage is transmitted live from our solar powered cameras on the Bass Rock.

If the live screen appears black or frozen, the cameras may have been switched off overnight, to allow researchers on the islands to carry out their work or we may be experiencing technical problems with them (particularly in winter as our cameras are solar powered). We apologise for any inconvenience.

The Bass Rock is home to the world's largest colony of Northern gannets. The gannets spend most of the year on the Bass, arriving in late February and departing at the end of October when they set out on their long journey down to the west coast of Africa. The lower ledges of the Bass are home to shags, guillemots and razorbills, with seals hauling up on the rocks below.

Northern gannets are one of Britain’s largest seabirds with a wingspan of up to 2 metres. They are bright white with distinctive black wingtips and a yellow head. When flying, they alternate between flapping and gliding, swooping low over the water. They feed by circling high above the waves, before folding their wings back and diving into the water headfirst at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.

*** We apologise that our Bass Rock cameras are not fully operational. Two cameras have had to be removed for repair/replacement due to damage. We are fundraising to support the work required. ***

© Susan Davies