Sunny, the baby bald eagle in Big Bear, takes first flight as sister Gizmo looks on
One of Jackie and Shadow’s baby eagles has officially left the nest, marking a historic moment for Big Bear Valley’s most famous eagle family.
The Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream captured the moment Sunny took her first light out of the nest on June 2.
A new chapter took flight over Big Bear Valley Monday morning as Sunny, one of the two surviving bald eagle chicks hatched by Jackie and Shadow this spring, officially fledged, soaring away from the nest for the very first time.
The moment came just after 10:45 a.m. local time, when Sunny launched off the branch of the towering pine tree she’s called home since hatching on March 3. The event was captured live on the Friends of Big Bear Valley’s eagle cam live-stream and on the hearts of thousands of eagle watchers around the world.
“I feel elated that Sunny made it and is flying and is successful, and sad at the same time,” said Sandy Steers, Executive Director of the Friends of Big Bear Valley, in an interview with KCAL News.
Eagle watchers have been on “Fledge Watch” for weeks, tracking every hop, wingbeat, and branch-bound bounce as Sunny and her sister Gizmo neared flight age. Eaglets typically fledge between 10 and 14 weeks old, and Monday’s flight puts Sunny right on schedule.
Steers said Gizmo seemed captivated by Sunny’s sudden departure. “Gizmo was fascinated watching Sunny fly off the limb,” she said. “She kept watching in the distance, so we’ll see what she does next.”
Sunny and Gizmo have spent the past several weeks preparing for this milestone. Live footage showed the two juvenile eagles practicing short “branch flights,” strengthening their wing muscles and improving balance. Their parents, Jackie and Shadow, continued feeding and reinforcing the nest while gradually encouraging independence.
These eaglets, about 10 weeks old, are nearing their first flight in Big Bear Valley, California. Sandy Seers says eaglets take off for their first flights between 10 and 14 weeks after hatching.
“We’ve never had two fledge,” Steers added. “We’re watching to see what really happens. Gizmo is younger and has been developing slower... so we’ll have to see what she decides to do.”
Despite Sunny’s flight, eagle watchers shouldn’t expect her to vanish completely. “We’ll keep looking,” Steers said. “It’s likely she’ll come back to the nest at some point. It could be a day or a few days, we’ll see.”
Sunny and Gizmo were the only two eaglets to survive out of three eggs laid this season. A third chick, hatched on March 6, died during a snowstorm that hit the valley mid-month.
As eagles Jackie and Shadow tended to their 3 eggs on March 3, multiple cracks appeared in the eggs as the babies began to break out of the eggs in the Big Bear Valley nest.
The Big Bear eagle cam has become a beloved livestream for nature lovers, offering a rare glimpse into the life of wild bald eagles 145 feet above Big Bear Lake. With Gizmo still perched near the nest, anticipation continues to build for her first flight.
Until then, all eyes remain on the sky — and on the tree — as one eagle soars and another prepares to follow.
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