Osprey on the Columbia

Tongue Point anchorage, near Astoria, Oregon
N46° 111 570
W123° 40' 739
We traveled the eighty miles down the Columbia River from Portland to Astoria over two very gray days. The Columbia is a huge river, with a deep, dredged shipping channel. The channel is marked all along by big buoys, and on this trip, nearly every buoy was home to an osprey nest complete with chicks. The photo above shows a nest with Longview's paper mills in the background.

Osprey are beautiful in flight, with a wingspan of six feet. But, like lots of eagles and hawks, they are scrufty and mean looking close up. This is especially true when you see them "face to face"; they seem to be the meanest of weak-chinned creatures. I like this view of an Osprey in profile on his or her nest - more distinguished.

We are spending a few days at anchor near Astoria, since the weather has turned balmy and sunny.