Iowa's growing osprey population has added new nest sites in West Des Moines, Colfax and Cumming, bringing the total nest attempts in 2015 to 22.

"It's been a good decade plus for ospreys returning to Iowa," said Pat Schlarbaum, wildlife technician for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The first successful osprey nest occurred in 2003 and since then, 141 wild ospreys have produced 78 successful nests.

In addition to the wild osprey nests, the Iowa DNR will release as many as eight ospreys on July 14, between sites at Clear Lake and at Swan Lake, in Carroll County. The ospreys are provided by ALLETE, an energy company based in Duluth and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Since 1997, 253 ospreys have been released at 12 sites.

A web cam is placed near the osprey nest at Wells Fargo in West Des Moines. Go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/Education/OspreyCam.aspx.

Viewers watch young ospreys wing exercise before flight is achieved. Young will take flight when they are approximately 54 days of age. The adults will supplement their young's diet for a few weeks until self-sufficiency is achieved.