For the first time, one of the two young bald eagles born this year in the beloved Big Bear nest was seen attempting to take flight.
The eaglet, named Sunny, appeared hesitant as he spread his wings and briefly lifted off – but, despite his fear, it marked a special moment for tens of thousands of viewers around the world who have been following Jackie and Shadow’s family journey via livestream.
“Sunny looked afraid,” said Sandy Steers with Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that manages the eagle cam. “When he went back, he let the wind carry him back to the nest, and he laid down for over two hours.”
Exhausting and perhaps terrifying for the young eagle, the moment marks one of the final steps before taking full flight. According to Steers, a fledgling could happen at any moment now.
Sunny and his sibling, Gizmo, were born to Jackie and Shadow, a bonded bald eagle pair who have drawn global attention since they began rebuilding their mountaintop nest in October.
“Bringing in big sticks and tugging back and forth on them and making sure they’re all in the right place and doing the beaky kisses that they do to bond,” Steers recalled.
In January, Jackie laid three eggs, and both parents were seen playfully vying for the chance to keep them warm.
“It’s amazing how much they want to take care of their eggs,” Steers said.
All three eggs hatched successfully by March, but a harsh late-winter storm tested the family’s resilience. One eaglet died during the storm.
“We think it was the oldest one,” Steers said. “That it might have gotten big enough and gotten out from under Jackie during the storm and gotten wet.”
Despite the loss, Jackie and Shadow continued caring for their remaining two chicks, drawing admiration from tens of thousands of viewers who watched their journey online.
“What were you thinking when you watched that?” KTLA’s Shelby Nelson asked Steers, reflecting on Sunny’s first lift off.
“I was impressed and excited at the same time,” said Steers.
Gizmo, the younger eaglet by four days, may take a bit more time before following suit.
“Gizmo likes to eat and likes to lie in bed and be fed by mom, and so we aren’t sure how fast she’s going to develop,” Steers said.
For viewers around the world, the eagle family has been a lesson in perseverance, devotion, and love.
“First of all, resilience,” Steers said. “No matter what’s going on, Jackie and Shadow just keep coming and bringing food… And they take care of chicks no matter what’s going on.”
“To me, it’s like the signs of what real love is about,” she added.
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