My friend Mike and  I were walking the levy at Bolsa Chica when we spotted a unfamiliar bird flying some distance away  "Was that an Osprey?" Mike asked. "Might be but it would be unusual to see here." I responded.  Some twenty minutes later, I spotted what looked to be the same bird sitting in a tree at the highest point in the reserve.  Mike and I hiked over to the spot and took some not-so-great images as we couldn't get any closer.  About that time, another photographer came walking by and said there was another Osprey sitting in a dead tree eating a fish it had caught about 300 yards further along.  Off we went!

Wow, two Ospreys in one day.  A sight I had never seen in the ten years I've been going to Bolsa.  And this second bird was much closer.  It was sitting on a branch; swiveling around checking out everything in sight but mostly looking at the water its left:

After rattling off a number of shots, I was ready to move on.  Mike, though, said he thought we should wait; that it might go after another fish. Sure enough, after 10 or so minutes, without warning; it dove off into the water.  I was caught unprepared and missed the entry into the water but I caught this shot as it came out of the water without a fish, and flew back to the same perch.  

I was really alert now as it went back on its perch.  After a few minutes it dove back into the water.  I managed to catch this shot as it took its plunge:

Again, I missed the entry into the water ... what's wrong with me?  But I managed to snap shots of it leaving ... this time with a snack!

And, as it headed back to its perch, I rolled off these shots!

Wow, what a totally unexpected and interesting experience!

Thanks for looking!

adam