Getting up close and personal… with an osprey

We had to hike a few miles up a steep trail but once we made it to the mountain lake, we knew this was going to be a fantastic weekend.  The kids were being troopers, carrying backpacks with the lighter items, hopping like billy goats from one rock to another.  We scaled a couple of downed trees to find the perfect camping spot on the edge of the lake, with water so clear you could see right to the bottom.  

With only a couple of other tents around the lake, this spot was so serene. We could hear the wind whistling in the trees and bumblebees buzzing around. Bright orange butterflies added a splash of color to the browns and greens of rocks and trees.  Once the tent was set up, we took a swim to cool off and sat down to relax a bit before starting dinner.  That’s when we saw it.  A beautiful osprey, first flying high above the lake before suddenly swooping down to catch a fish.  

This happened several years ago but I still remember it clearly. There was just something magical about this moment.  I've always enjoyed watching wildlife and grew up with a dad who was constantly looking out for birds of prey, while my mom kept reminding him to keep his eyes on the road while driving.  :0)  I’m really not all that knowledgeable about recognizing birds but I do enjoy watching them and the osprey is pretty easy to spot.

If you enjoy wildlife and bird watching, I wanted to share with you that I recently learned about a cool program by Cowlitz County PUD, a utility company here in the Pacific Northwest. When an osprey couple decided to build their nest on top of a power pole a few years ago, the utility company helped them to relocate the nest to a safer place… successfully.  The ospreys are back again this year. A live cam has been set up to allow you to watch their nest as we wait for the eggs to hatch. Science in action for the kids!   

I hope you enjoy watching these magnificent birds as much as I do.  Please know that sometimes it takes a few minutes for the live feed to show up.

As always, I'd love to hear from you in the comments.  If you like my work and writings, please join my email community through the form below. Thank you!

Ready to watch the ospreys? You can find the live cam here:
https://www.cowlitzpud.org/osprey-cam

​P.S. This link still works for spring 2022!  If you like birds, I have a new collection of hummingbird paintings available in my online art shop.  Thanks for taking a peek!

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