Latest news with #FriendsOfBigBearValley
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
Big Bear eaglet takes flight from nest
Big Bear's famed bald eagle parents, Jackie and Shadow, are getting closer to being empty-nesters as one of their two eaglets took flight from the comforts of the nest on Monday. At about 10:46 a.m., one of the eaglet was perched on a branch when she appeared to jump off, flap her wings and fly away. The eaglets were born in March and are around 12 weeks old, making it prime-fledging time. Viewers of the Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam have been anticipating the moment when eaglets Sunny and Gizmo would brave flight. "Fledge watch" began around May 13, as bald eagles are between 10 to 12 weeks old when they leave their nest. One of the Big Bear eaglets appeared to take flight around 10:46 a.m. on Monday. Friends of Big Bear Valley Friends of Big Bear Valley noted on Facebook posts that the pair had been flapping and jumping, practicing for their flight as they stood on the outer rails of their nest. "The birds show signs of flight as they start flapping their wings hard and fast enough to feel their feet lift slightly off the nest. They will then likely start venturing out onto the outer branches of the nest tree and also practice there," FOBBV wrote on Facebook. Once confident, they will take off, likely near a perch tree where Jackie and Shadow have been hanging out. What's next for the eaglets? Gizmo and Sunny were both determined to be female, based on quick growth, and Sunny's sex is still unknown. Both will remain in the habitat for one to three months after fledging, and FOBBV said they will likely be in and out of the nest during this time. "By fall, they will take off on their own. Since they aren't banded, we will have no way to know if they stay together, or for how long," FOBBV wrote on Facebook. It is also not known if they will recognize each other. The organization noted that there is some evidence that bald eagles can memorize, but there have not been any specific studies to verify that information. Most eagles reach maturity around 5 years old, with a white head and tail and bright yellow beaks and eyes.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sister act: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo are both female
After nearly three months of speculation, the experts have weighed in: Both eaglets at the Big Bear bald eagle nest are female. Sunny and Gizmo are sisters, according to the organizations that operates the world-famous 24-hour camera feed of the nest near Big Bear Lake. "Peaceful, loving sisters," added Friends of Big Bear Valley Executive Director Sandy Steers. The naturalists announced last week that Gizmo was believed to be female, but Sunny's sex remained unclear until Saturday. "After much observation and some fairly definitive vocal frequency analysis, we believe that even though Sunny, as the older one, is now smaller than Gizmo, she is also female," Steers said in an update posted to social media. Despite being four days younger, Gizmo has outgrown Sunny in size. Although now the smaller of the siblings, Sunny has led the way when it comes to exploring the branches surrounding the nest and experimenting with flight. More: Fledge watch: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo prepare to take first flights She was seen taking to the air for a 3-second-long hover above the nest for the first time on Thursday. Her flight testing grew bolder and Friday, when she was again spotted hovering above the nest and spreading her wings into the wind. Bald eaglets generally leave the nest, or fledge, at 10 to 14 weeks of age, experts said. At 12 weeks old, Sunny and Gizmo could each be ready to make their first flights away from the nest any time now. But they won't immediately become strangers. Eaglets tend to remain close to their nests for a month or two as they develop the skills they will need to survive on their own. They young predators will then head out to establish their own homes, potentially hundreds or thousands of miles away from Big Bear. They still have a long journey ahead of them, as bald eagles mature at a slow rate. Sunny and Gizmo aren't expected to develop their iconic white heads, like their parents Jackie and Shadow, until they reach 4 or 5 years old. More information on the Big Bear bald eagles and the Friends of Big Bear Valley is available on the organizations website at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Sister act: Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo are both female
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Big Bear eaglets Sunny and Gizmo believed to be sisters, says wildlife organization
After revealing the gender of one of the eaglets last week, wildlife organization Friends of Big Bear Valley announced that Sunny and Gizmo are sisters. Big News…after much observation and some fairly definitive vocal frequency analysis, we believe that even though Sunny, as the older one, is now smaller than Gizmo, she is also female," wrote Sandy Steers, a biologist and the Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. "So, Sunny and Gizmo are sisters! Peaceful, loving sisters." After being born in March, the two birds have captured the eyes of thousands across the nation as they prepare for their first flight. "They've been practicing bouncing up and down with their little wings," Steers said. "They're big wings now." Sonny and Gizmo, the eaglets of beloved Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow. Friends of Big Bear Valley/YouTube Sunny had her first hover experience on Friday, clearing the surface of their nest for 3.3 seconds. Once they embark on their maiden flight, Sunny and Gizmo will continue to live with their parents, Jackie and Shadow. The full-grown eagles will follow their children around for at least three months before becoming empty nesters. "Once they get, I guess full of knowing, think they know what they're doing, they take off," she said. "They usually travel around to meet other eagles." The Big Bear bald eagle family can be observed 24/7 via a webcam hosted by the Friends of Big Bear Valley on YouTube. Steers also documents the eagles on live cameras on the Friends of Big Bear Valley website.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Live cam viewers catch special moment as Big Bear eaglet Sunny attempts first flight
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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
This livestream of baby bald eagles is the only thing keeping me sane
The internet is an unpleasant place, full of grim headlines, misinformation and social media content designed to make you feel ugly and unsuccessful. But there are good bits too. Take Jackie and Shadow, a happy couple who live in a home with breathtaking views of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino county, California. They currently have two children, Sunny and Gizmo, who are preparing to leave home and make their own way in the world. They are, in many ways, the purest embodiment of the modern American dream: reality stars, and also bald eagles. The family has been on camera since October 2015, when the environmental non-profit group Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) started a live stream of the nest. For years, fans have watched live as the eagles share meals (mostly fish), relax and tease each other. Sometimes Shadow nips at Jackie's tail or wing 'to get a response out of her', says Sandy Steers, the executive director of FOBBV. 'It's hilarious.' The eagle cam was Steers's idea. She started watching the nest years ago, though from the ground, back when it was still occupied by Jackie's parents, Ricky and Lucy. 'I got to watch Jackie grow up through a spotting scope, and it completely hooked me,' she says. Over the years, the feed's numbers have soared like a majestic bird of prey. The YouTube page has more than 638,000 subscribers, and as I write this, 46,000 people are watching with me. Multiple news outlets have referred to the eagles as 'celebrities'. And there's merch: FOBBV sells Shadow and Jackie plushies ($30), tote bags ($20) and sweatshirts ($45). 'I think what draws people is that nature is fascinating, and most of us haven't really had the chance to sit and study it,' Steers says. 'It connects people with themselves and their emotions.' The emotions these eagles elicit seem to be pleasant. Besides the birds, the page includes another wonder of the natural world: a wholesome comment section. 'Love you Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo, you're in my heart forever!' one fan writes in the live chat. 'What gets me through the day is to watch this beautiful family thrive,' writes another. The eagles inspire such fervent adoration because of their personalities, says Steers. 'Jackie is serious and she's the boss, absolutely,' she explains. 'Shadow knows all of Jackie's rules, and at the same time, he's independent.' Jackie and Shadow's love is the stuff of romcoms. After Rick and Lucy left, Jackie occupied the nest with her first partner, Mr B. In 2018, they had two chicks, but only one survived. That summer another eagle appeared – a charming, impish and stubborn young man who began hanging around the nest and wouldn't leave no matter how much Mr. B snapped at him. Eventually, Mr B gave up and left. Don't bald eagles mate for life? 'For the most part, but apparently not always,' says Steers. Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion Now, the family is mostly settled. Sunny and Gizmo are the couple's fifth and sixth offspring. The Eagle Log, which is run by FOBBV members and posts regular updates on the nest, recently confirmed Gizmo is a girl, based on her overall size, behavior and 'obsession with food'. The jury is still out on Sunny's sex, but the group hopes to have more clarity in the next couple of days. At eleven weeks old, the eaglets are almost ready to fly, and a 'fledge watch' is under way as fans eagerly wait to see them take to the skies. 'They don't look quite ready to me,' says Steers. 'But maybe that's just me hoping they stay longer.' I first heard about the eagle cam years ago from a friend, and ever since Gizmo and Sunny first hatched back in March (they're both Pisces), I've kept the live stream open in a tab on my computer. Between work tasks, I click over to see how my feathered pals are doing. It's become a happy break for me. I've watched Sunny and Gizmo grow from tiny balls of gray fuzz into big glorious raptors with razor sharp beaks and claws. I've seen Jackie feed the eaglets tiny bits of fish, and watched Gizmo hop in the air and practice flying ('We call that 'wingercising,'' says Steers). Sometimes the feed is quiet – perhaps the kids are napping and Jackie and Shadow are out hunting . I enjoy the serenity of the trees swaying in the wind and the lake's glitter too. As Steers wrote in a recent post in the Eagle Log: 'Sometimes a quiet, observant, appreciative loving day is simply essential to the joy of living for all beings.'
