Manzanita Osprey at Melones

The other osprey family I have been following is at the Manzanita Campground.  In fact, the nest is right over one camp!  Doesn't seem to bother the birds at all.  Unlike the Lupine nest that is far from the water, this one is right on the edge of the lake.

Because I didn't start monitoring this test until later in the season when the chicks were all ready hatched I seldom saw both adults at the nest at the same time.

They had a full house with three chicks!

One chick was testing his wings way ahead of the other two.  Weird shot; just happened to catch him up in the air!

The parents are busy fishing non-stop as the chicks grow feathers very quickly.

I never did stay long enough to see an adult actually land in the nest with a fish; still, the feeding was intense.

It was only a few days before the biggest chick was gone; leaving two in the nest.

The evening I took this last set of pics it was windy and getting pretty late.  The family was clearly waiting for dinner!  But in the mean time they tested their wings.  It was really cool how they lift off on the wind, but never leave the safety of the nest.

Watch out Mom!

They were still waiting, sort of patiently, for dinner when I head back to my camp in Acorn at sunset.