Chambers Creek Ospreys 2014

It's that time of year again. I have gone a full weekend without any Osprey sightings. That means I can now post the Osprey year in review.

Picture	Date	Description
	April 10, 2014	I had my earliest Osprey sighting ever with one seen near the railroad bridge on March 28. That same day, the nesting platform was removed by the North dock and a deterrent was installed. Even with that deterrent, Ospreys were fighting over who got to nest in between the wires.
	April 11, 2014	Here's one of them in flight.
	April 11, 2014	Here's another shot of an Osprey in flight. This one is carrying nesting material.
	April 11, 2014	That nesting material was brought to the deterrent.
	April 12, 2014	The next day, the dock had been redecorated. A tarp was thrown over their nest and a neighboring area along the dock. This is that neighboring area. As you can see, the Ospreys weren't too happy.
	April 12, 2014	Here's their former nest.
	April 12, 2014	They would continue using the dock as their dining table.
	April 18, 2014	Here's another in-flight shot.
	April 18, 2014	And another.
	April 18, 2014	I eventually found them working on a new home. Instead of the platform built for them near the wastewater treatment facility, they decided to use the concrete structure that rises over the Central Meadow. This structure is frequently referred to as the Swing Set.
	April 18, 2014	I watched as more nesting material was brought in.
	April 20, 2014	Here's more nesting material being carried around.
	April 25, 2014	And some more.
	May 2, 2014	The nest was really taking shape.
	May 2, 2014	It was pretty clear that the Ospreys were going to continue to use the dock despite their relocation. I made a safe prediction and said that the young would use the dock if they failed to remove it prior to flight.
	May 10, 2014	Here's one carrying some fresh fish.
	July 6, 2014	I saw one of the young on the railroad bridge just before I went on a vacation. When I returned, I knew that I would be greeted by some new faces. Once again, we had three kids.
	July 12, 2014	Like always, I took a lot of shot of the nest.
	July 24, 2014	Fishing activity was on the rise as fish were carried to the young on the nest.
	August 2, 2014	With the sun coming up from behind the nest, I managed to try a shot that wasn't possible in previous years. I went after a silhouette in front of a warm glow.
	August 3, 2014	The young were slower than usual in learning to fly. I expected this since the Ospreys had to rebuild their nest after the county ruined their earlier work.
	August 3, 2014	In case you couldn't make out all three kids earlier, this one should be a little more obvious. One of the parents can be seen on the right.
	August 3, 2014	More fish.
	August 7, 2014	This is one of the tougher shots that I try to pursue, an Osprey fishing. Unfortunately, I missed slightly with the focus and released the shutter before its talons reached in front of the head.
	August 9, 2014	While I had seen the young get a little air, it wasn't until August 9 when I finally saw legitimate flight. I'm sure they had to have been flying before then, but I had obstacles preventing me from watching as much as I would have liked to. This was a hot summer.
	August 9, 2014	Usually, the young are easier to approach. For some reason, this adult stood out as the most cooperative bird of the day.
	August 9, 2014	Here's another fish preparing to be served.
	August 10, 2014	This is one of the young.
	August 16, 2014	I need at least one shot of a kid standing. Here's one. I have more that I took later.
	August 22, 2014	Just because they're flying, that doesn't mean the Ospreys are through with the nest, especially when fish continue to be brought up to them.
	August 28, 2014	Here's one of the young on a tree rather than dock. This makes for a picture that looks a little more natural.
	September 5, 2014	I told you the young tend to cooperate. I hope these pictures are proving my point.
	September 6, 2014	Here's another one of the young in flight.
	September 13, 2014	I watched a Great Blue Heron land on the Swing Set. This is how one of the kids reacted.
	September 24, 2014	Before I finish up, I almost forgot something. While the new nesting platform was not selected for the new nesting location, it wasn't a total waste. The pole did get some use this year.