Young ospreys at the nest

By mid-July these two chicks had grown nearly to adult size, their fresh juvenile feathers still edged in pale buff — a pattern that wears off by their first winter. Both were watching the same thing off to the side, likely a parent returning with a fish.

Why it matters

Young ospreys stay at the nest for around eight weeks after hatching, and this pale scalloped edging on the feathers is one of the clearest ways to tell a juvenile from an adult at a glance, even at this size.

Getting the shot

A fast shutter kept both birds sharp despite the summer heat shimmer coming off the nest platform. Waited for a moment when both chicks’ heads turned the same direction, which reads as a much stronger composition than two birds looking different ways.