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A Big Bear bald eaglet takes flight away from nest for the first time
Sunny the bald eagle takes off on intitial flight
(
Friends of Big Bear Valley / YouTube
)
We have liftoff!
Sunny, Big Bear’s beloved older eaglet, has flown from its around-the-clock livestreamed nest for the first time.
Sunny is about three months old — prime time for “Fledge Watch.”
Gizmo, who is a few days younger, is still sitting in the nest overlooking Big Bear Lake.
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Friends of Big Bear Valley, the organization that manages the popular YouTube livestream, said in a statement to LAist they are happy and sad at the same time, adding that they’re truly proud and elated by Sunny’s courage.
“We have never had two eaglets get to this stage before so we do not know when Gizmo will fledge or if this will encourage anything or not,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “She will go when she is ready. She did some catching up to Sunny yesterday by expanding her territory on the nest tree.”
Sunny didn’t fly too far — she’s been seen in the Roost Tree, one of Jackie and Shadow's favorites. And yes, Sunny is believed to be a female, the organization announced this weekend.
Eaglets usually fledge anywhere from 10 to 14 weeks old, so Gizmo still has some time. One of Jackie and Shadow’s previous chicks took even longer, fledgling at 16 weeks old instead.
But Sunny seemed eager to get out of the nest and onto its great adventure. The eaglet hovered in the air for nearly a full second during the first day of “Fledge Watch,” according to the nonprofit, and has been seen hovering and flapping her wings since.
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Sunny is expected to stick around Big Bear Lake for a while, learning how to hunt and act like an adult eagle from Jackie and Shadow. Sunny may also venture back up the nest every now and then, but Steers previously said it might take a day or two to get its wing strength back.
"We expect to see her back at the nest at some point if past seasons are any indication, and Jackie and Shadow should be keeping a close eye out," the nonprofit said in a statement. "We will keep watching both cameras to see what happens next."
Go deeper: For more on Jackie and Shadow's journey.
Chick 1 and Chick 2, as well as Chick 3 working its way out of its shell, on March 7, 2025.
(
Friends of Big Bear Valley YouTube Channel
)
Jackie and Shadow's eaglets during a feeding of fish on Tuesday, April 1.
(
Friends of Big Bear Valley
/
YouTube
)
One of the eaglets practicing flapping its wings in the wind as it prepares to leave then nest.
(
Friends of Big Bear Valley
/
YouTube
)
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