Latest news with #SandySteers
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Big Bear eaglet takes flight from nest in California
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 eaglets was perched on a branch when she appeared to jump off, flap her wings and fly away. Friends of Big Bear Valley Executive Director Sandy Steers told KCAL News on Monday that it was Sunny who left the nest, while Gizmo stayed behind. "I feel elated that Sunny made it and is flying and is successful," Steers said. It's not yet clear where Sunny flew off too, but young eagles oftentimes return to the nest relatively quickly after their first flight, Steers said. 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 Sunny's flight on Monday was the result of days of practice. Friends of Big Bear Valley noted on Facebook posts that the pair had been flapping and jumping, preparing 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. As of Monday, Gizmo was yet to leave the nest with her sister. Steers said Gizmo was slower developing than Sunny, so it's not yet clear if she'll be ready in the next few days. What's next for the eaglets? Gizmo and Sunny were both determined to be female, based on quick growth. 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
5 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
5 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.
CBS News
09-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Big Bear eaglets getting ready to fly from nest for first time, wildlife organization says
Big Bear eaglets getting ready to fly from nest for first time, wildlife organization says Big Bear eaglets getting ready to fly from nest for first time, wildlife organization says Big Bear eaglets getting ready to fly from nest for first time, wildlife organization says The Big Bear eaglets will soon be ready to stretch their wings and fly from their parents' nest in coming weeks, an exciting but nerve wracking experience for those who have grown attention to the beloved bald eagle family. Sunny and Gizmo only turn 10-weeks old-next week, but they're already getting ready to fledge, or fly for the first time. They were born in March, much to the delight of thousands across the nation anxiously waiting to see if the eggs would make it through the winter. "They've been practicing bouncing up and down with their little wings," said Sandy Steers, a biologist and the Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. "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 She says that though they make look small on the live camera, which feeds from the eagles' nest 24/7 thanks to the wildlife organization's YouTube channel. "Pretty soon they'll move out onto the limbs and practice it and make all the viewers nervous, because they'll be afraid they'll fall off," Steers said. Though a little worry, she says they won't fall. After taking flight for the first time, Sunny and Gizmo will still hang around the nest for a while, and that their parents Jackie and Shadow will continue to follow them around for at least three months to continue watching over them. "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." Within five years, they'll find a mate, hunker down and start their own families, though it's unclear exactly where that may be. Fledges from Southern California have been tracked as far north as Canada and as far east as Yellowstone.
CNN
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The Heart Transplant that Connected Two Families - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo 00:00:01 Hey there, need a reason to smile? Well, I've got five. Let's get into it. At one school district in Pennsylvania, students are learning a whole new way to make music. Plus, a powerful storm carried some priceless memories across the state. Luckily, they got into the hands of the right people. Bonnie Hemman 00:00:18 I feel like we're here to help each other, and that's what I wanted to do for them. Krista Bo 00:00:23 From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is Five Good Things. Krista Bo 00:00:33 If you're on the hunt for a new reality show, check out the one starring a power couple in California, navigating love, survival, and parenthood, feathers and all. I'm talking about Jackie and Shadow. They're a celebrity bald eagle couple that the internet's really been rooting for. Sandy Steers 00:00:50 We've had at times over 100,000 people watching at the same time. It allows you to see nature in its everyday life and at the same time open yourself to connecting to nature and it just warms my heart that people are so connected to them. Krista Bo 00:01:07 'Sandy Steers is the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. The nonprofit has been live streaming the 145-foot high eagle's nest for almost a decade on its YouTube channel. It has over 600,000 subscribers who've seen Jackie and Shadow go through their fair share of ups and downs, since their first season together in 2019. Krista Bo 00:01:29 Since 2022, Sandy says they've lost five eggs and one chick. But now they're proud parents of two healthy eaglets that hatched in early March. A big win for the endangered species in the state. Sandy Steers 00:01:41 They look like gray balls of fluff, and their wings are getting bigger very quickly. They're getting along. They're snuggling even, and every once in a while they have a bop, but everything's going great. Krista Bo 00:01:55 To name these chicks, Friends of Big Bear Valley launched a fundraiser. $5 got you one name entry, $10 for three, $25 for 10, that kind of thing. From 54,000 submissions, 30 names were chosen. Names like Sky, Talon, Swift, Liberty, Bell. And this week, local elementary school kids got the final say. Sandy Steers 00:02:16 'The bigger chick is named Sunny, S-U-N-N Y, and the smaller chick is named Gizmo. We had 469 students vote from third, fourth, and fifth grade. We included fourth and fifth because when they were in the third grade, there were no chicks that they got to vote on. So we included them, and that's the names that got the most votes. Krista Bo 00:02:40 In the next few weeks, Sandy says the eaglets will be spreading their wings and exploring what life's like outside their nest with help from mom and dad. Krista Bo 00:02:48 If you want to watch this family with feathers for yourself, the link is in our show notes, or you can head to their website, Krista Bo 00:03:00 'Want to hear what a 3D-printed violin sounds like? 3D Violin Practice 00:03:03 Yes! Alright, you guys ready? Yeah. Ok Krista Bo 00:03:10 Elementary school students from a small district south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are practicing for their spring recital next month. Laura Jacob 00:03:17 The violin is so hard and it takes years for you to get a pretty sound out of it. At first it's really scratchy and it's difficult, but over time they really, they nail it. I'm really proud of them. 3D Violin Practice 00:03:32 Well done, well done. Laura Jacob 00:03:35 We've put violins into kids' hands for free by 3D printing them on our own and ensuring that children have the access to any type of musical instruments that they're interested in learning. Krista Bo 00:03:48 Superintendent Laura Jacob is the maestro behind this unique music program at the California Area School District in Southwest PA, where a third of students live below the poverty line. Laura Jacob 00:03:58 instrumental rental places require a credit check. And a family might not initially pass that credit check and so then a child wouldn't have access to instruments, and so the 3D violin option really created an ability for us to put stringed instruments in kids hands, build our own orchestra for half the cost that it would be for say the district or for families if they were to rent. Krista Bo 00:04:24 'Any K-12 student can join, and they get to help design and 3D print a custom violin made from corn-based plastic in three days' time for about 50 bucks a pop. All paid for by grants from the Grable Foundation. Laura Jacob 00:04:37 They can choose whatever color they want. So we have hot pink violins, we have green violins. We have black and gold violins for the Steelers, which the kids absolutely love. And we just add real violin strings to it. And then we just added the wooden bridge to it Krista Bo 00:04:54 Beyond music, Laura says this program helps students tap into STEM skills so they can tune up for the future. Laura Jacob 00:05:00 I think it opens up the possibilities for kids to better understand what they can do in the world. Even if it's not just going to be music, it could be a different pathway. Krista Bo 00:05:14 Addison McArthur lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. She turns 14 next week. It's pretty sweet that her birthday's in April because it's also National Donate Life Month. And she's been an organ donation advocate for years already. Addison McArthur 00:05:30 On May 8, 2011, which is Mother's Day in Canada that year, my heart surgeon called mom and he was like, I have a Mother's day present for you. And it was a new heart. Krista Bo 00:05:42 'When she was just a few weeks old, she got a life-saving heart transplant from another infant, a baby girl named Audrey, who died of unknown causes. A year later, Addison's mom, Elaine, sent a thank you note to Audrey's mom, Felicia Hill. Elaine Yong 00:05:57 It was something I always knew that if I could meet the donor family, I would want to. Felicia Hill 00:06:05 It was so amazing to hear from the mom that gets to raise her daughter. The letter was great, but I wanted a picture. I wanted a hug I hoped for. Just anything more. Krista Bo 00:06:17 So two years later, Addison, her mom, and her dad, Aaron, met up with Felicia. Meet up 00:06:22 Hi, how are you? Meet up 00:06:23 Great, how about you? Meet up 00:06:25 I'm good. Krista Bo 00:06:26 The McArthur's brought a stethoscope, so Felicia could hear Audrey's heart beating in Addison's chest. Meet up 00:06:35 Thank you! For you to wear tomorrow. Meet up 00:06:36 Do you know who that is? Meet up 00:06:38 Audrey. 00:06:38 That's right. Awww. Yeah! Krista Bo 00:06:41 'And Felicia brought Addison a t-shirt with Audrey's picture on it. The families have kept in touch ever since. Felicia Hill 00:06:47 I do call her a friend. More, actually, family. Elaine Yong 00:06:51 I don't know if there's a word to describe our relationship because there is no definition that really fits it. It's more special than a friend. She is like family. Krista Bo 00:07:01 In 2018, Felicia went to Vancouver to watch Addison compete in the Canadian Transplant Games. Meet up 00:07:07 It was really cool and it felt really good that she could see how much the gift of life has really helped me. Krista Bo 00:07:17 And for years now, when Addison wins a medal at a competition, she sends it to Felicia. This is the note that Addison sent Felicia along with the gold medal she won at the 2023 World Transplant Games in the 50 meter freestyle. Felicia Hill 00:07:31 'It says, I just want you to know that I think of Audrey almost every day. And I think that me and Audrey are like two minds in the same body. I think it like a we - we did this together. We won this medal together. Love, Addison and Audrey. Krista Bo 00:07:51 Felicia will be with Addison at the next World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany this summer. Our girl CNN's Eryn Mathewson will be competing then too, so we'll have to check back in. Krista Bo 00:08:02 If you're interested in becoming an organ donor, you can register at your local DMV or online at Krista Bo 00:08:12 People around the world are living longer these days. In fact, the World Health Organization says most people can expect to live past 60 years of age. And by 2050, it predicts the number of people 80 and older will triple. Alberto Chab thinks a lot about seniors who are living longer. He's 97, lives in Buenos Aires, and was tired of feeling lonely. Krista Bo 00:08:34 'So with the help of his granddaughter, he posted a video. asking other 90-plus-year-olds to get together and talk about their life experiences. He says he got over a thousand responses. Alberto Chab 00:08:52 That little video created a tsunami, 1,500 emails. I mean, there was a very real need for people, for seniors to get together and talk to each other. I touched on a very necessary point, which is why people from all over Latin America wrote to me, even from Canada. Krista Bo 00:09:09 Eventually, Alberto and a group of five men and women started meeting up every two weeks. They discuss a range of topics, from accomplishing life goals to the candy they used to eat when they were kids. Alberto Chab 00:09:23 Just say everything that comes to mind, it's never going to be absurd, because whatever happens to one of us, having a car crash or going to the eye doctor, a similar situation will arise for the other. Krista Bo 00:09:35 'A 26-year-old journalist named Guadalupe Camurati heard about the group and also got involved. Guadalupe Camurati 00:09:42 From the first minute I saw them, I was kind of excited. It touched me. I said to Alberto and the people who were there, this has to be done digitally. For me, we have to make a podcast. Krista Bo 00:09:54 And so they did. They started a podcast called 90 and Counting, or Noventa y Cantando in Spanish. The first season launched in 2024, and now season two is in the works. Alberto says he thinks the podcast is having a positive impact on members of the group and the listeners, because it gives them more stories to tell their loved ones. And it also shows you're never too old to learn a new skill. Alberto Chab 00:10:19 I'm still learning at 97. I still have so much to learn. Krista Bo 00:10:25 When a tornado scattered pieces of one couple's past, strangers almost a hundred miles away stepped in to bring part of it home. That's next. Bonnie Hemman 00:10:38 So my husband found this laying just about right here as he drove by to go to the winery. Krista Bo 00:10:45 Bonnie Hemman from Missouri spotted random wedding photos scattered across her front lawn like leaves. She had no idea who the smiling couple was or how the pictures had gotten there, but she had soon learned that they had flown into her yard from nearly 100 miles away. Krista Bo 00:11:02 Last month, the tornado ripped through Poplar Bluff, Missouri with 138 mile per hour winds, destroying thousands of homes, including Darby Rusum's. She and her husband lost nearly everything outside their basement. But somehow, photos from their wedding 16 months ago, traveled through the storm and landed at Bonnie's feet. Bonnie Hemman 00:11:26 I just think that God placed it here because he knew I could find the person it goes to. So Bonnie posted the pictures on Facebook, asking if anyone recognized the bride. Meanwhile, about 50 miles from Darby's town, another stranger found more of her wedding photos and shared them online too. Krista Bo 00:11:46 In less than three hours, people started tagging Darby friends and soon enough, the mystery was solved. Bonnie Hemman 00:11:52 I feel like we're here to help each other and that's what I wanted to do for them. Krista Bo 00:11:58 Darby was overwhelmed by the kindness from strangers. Not only are the photos being returned, but she said so many people have offered to help her and her husband clean up and bounce back. That's so sweet. Krista Bo 00:12:12 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. National parks are a target of DOGE's cuts. CNN's David Rind talks to park workers about the impact on visitors, wildlife, and the history of public lands. Krista Bo 00:12:28 Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director, and Steve LIchteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. Special thanks to Devyn Byers and Wendy Brundige. And thank you, especially, for listening. Take care, till next time.
