Trust delight over smallest gannet colony

ST KILDA is renowned as having the world’s largest colony of northern gannets. But now the archipelago’s owner, the National Trust for Scotland, believes it is also caring for the world’s smallest colony as well.

Gannets have been attempting to nest on the island of Berneray, one of the Barra Head Islands, since 2009, and this year a chick has successfully hatched for the first time.

Jonathan Grant, the trust ranger for the islands, said: “With four nests constructed this summer, we were really hoping this would be the year when chicks would finally hatch – and at last we have our first confirmed chick.”