Shortly after leaving Alexandria yesterday our boat passed an osprey nest - a messy, large pile of sticks - above the water on a way marker.
We could just see that there was a second bird - presumably a young bird - in the nest.
We were told that at one time when DDT was widely in use as a pesticide in this area, the osprey population was under threat but since it has been banned the numbers have increased again. As they live almost entirely on fish the nest is very well placed!
The nest is not in a remote location - it is not far from the huge and very busy Woodrow Wilson bridge which spans the Potomac and carries the Capital Beltway between Alexandria and National Harbour.
Later in the day when we were waiting for the boat at Mount Vernon there was another osprey - perhaps a young one - high in a tree. He was very noisy!
On our way back to Alexandria we again passed the waymarker and this time it was easier to see the young bird in the nest.
That was good to see. Over here you are lucky to see one and they are usually guarded. We walked up to see one in the lakes but it was still pretty distant
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