Osprey 61: A Remarkable 14-Year Journey from Montana to La Jolla
📷 © Wildlife Jewels® | Osprey 61 at La Jolla Cove, photographed by Azi Sharif, September 21, 2026.
Every Observation Matters. Every Life Has a Story. 💎
During a Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew Search Scout survey through our EYES® wildlife monitoring program, we spotted a magnificent Osprey at La Jolla Cove. Looking closely, we noticed something special—a blue leg band marked 61.
We photographed the Osprey and reported the sighting to the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory. What we learned revealed an extraordinary story that began more than 14 years ago in Montana.
Osprey 61 was banded on July 18, 2012, near Alberton, Montana, by Raptor View Research Institute. At the time, he was just a nestling—too young to fly.
Raptor View’s Osprey research in western Montana has helped scientists study mining-related heavy-metal contamination and learn more about Osprey movements and dispersal.
And more than 14 years later, we had the incredible privilege of encountering Osprey 61 at La Jolla Cove, California. 💙
One tiny blue band connected the magnificent bird before us to a young Osprey in a Montana nest more than a decade ago.
This is why consistent wildlife monitoring matters. Our routine EYES® surveys may identify wildlife needing urgent assistance—or reveal extraordinary stories and contribute valuable information about movement, longevity, and survival in the wild.
More than 14 years. Montana to La Jolla. One remarkable Osprey. 💎🦅💙
Learn about Wildlife Jewels EYES and ways you can get involved!
Learn about Wildlife Jewels Rescue and ways you can help!
© Wildlife Jewels® | Osprey 61 at La Jolla Cove, photographed by Azi Sharif, September 21, 2026.
Meet Opal the Western Gull
Meet Opal, the Western Gull chick, when she was just about a week old. 🤍
We’ve spent countless hours in the field observing and helping protect Opal and her family since she was still an egg. This photograph was taken in June 2026. 💜
Watching Opal grow from a tiny chick into the beautiful fledgling she is today has been incredibly special—and a reminder of why every effort to protect vulnerable wildlife matters.
Opal is now one of the precious wild lives featured in our Jewels of La Jolla educational art collection, celebrating the remarkable wildlife that makes this coastline so magical. ✨
Image: Opal, Western Gull chick, June 2026, La Jolla, CA. © Wildlife Jewels® | Photo by Azi Sharif
Opal the Gull pecking at discarded plastic left near her nesting area © Wildlife Jewels® / Azi Sharif | August 2, 2026
Wildlife Jewels’ World Ocean Day Wildlife Walk, La Jolla
Observed during our EYES™ Field Day with SDSU MEBSA students: a Western Gull with a concerning beak injury—highlighting the importance of careful observation and reporting.
👀 Join EYES™ (Engage Your Eyes for Sea Life)
Become part of our coastal wildlife monitoring community—learn what to look for, how to observe responsibly, and how to report concerns to help keep birds and other coastal wildlife safe.
Learn more at about ways you can protect coastal wildlife at the Wildlife Jewels Resources Page
🛟 Join the Wildlife Jewel Rescue Crew (observation & reporting only)
Help support local wildlife rescue response by assisting with reporting, coordination, and (for trained, permitted volunteers only, transport support when a bird needs help.)
✨ Together, we can turn wildlife observation into action and help protect the magical Jewels that make our coastline so special.
EYES Community BIRD WALK, National Bird Day JANUARY 2026
Some of the magical Bird Jewels we had the delight of observing included Brandt’s cormorants with their striking turquoise eyes, the adult California brown pelican with sky-blue eyes and a vibrant red throat pouch, and the majestic Black Oystercatcher with its bold orange bill and eye-ring. We also enjoyed the intelligent, charismatic Western gull, the precious Heermann’s gulls, and the elegance of Royal and Elegant terns, crowned with their distinctive head crests.
Photo credit: © Wildlife Jewels® / Azi Sharif
We identified an injured Heermann’s gull, documented what we observed, and reported—reminding us that careful monitoring and timely reporting can help save lives. Every wildlife life is precious. 💙 We will share more about her and the other injured wildlife including 2 entangled sea lions that we spotted during our walk through the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Blog soon.
Follow the remarkable rescue of an entangled Brown Pelican at Crystal Cove, from fishing-gear injuries through rehabilitation to his return to the wild.