Part of what makes Smith Mountain Lake so special is its natural environment. Much of the acreage surrounding its 500 miles of shoreline is undisturbed green space or protected parks where wildlife and vegetation thrive. Families that live at the lake get plentiful views of wild animals in their natural habitat, and one of the more fascinating species locals love to observe are ospreys.
Close to a decade ago, local parks and recreation authorities built a platform hoping ospreys migrating north for the summer would build their nest at SML. The plan worked and the ospreys have been part of the summer community at SML ever since. Today, residents and visitors to Smith Mountain Lake can learn about the ospreys at the SML State Park or view a live feed of the family and hatchlings at smlspfriends.com/ospreywebcam
