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4mo ago

Gizmo Joins Sunny in First Flights as Big Bear Eaglets Take Wing

The nearly 13-week-old eaglets are trailing their parents through the San Bernardino Mountains to hone their flight muscles before practicing fishing.

Big Bear eaglet Gizmo slips and falls while practicing wing flapping at the farthest point out on a branch before flying away from the nest Saturday morning, June 7, 2025. (Screenshot courtesy of Friends of Big Bear Valley)
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Overview

  • Gizmo fledged on June 7 at 8:27 a.m. local time after a brief stumble, following sister Sunny’s maiden flight on June 2.
  • Both eaglets were born in late January to parents Jackie and Shadow in a Jeffrey pine nest overlooking Big Bear Lake.
  • Their emerging flight feathers remain heavier than those of adults, prompting days of intensive wing-flapping exercises before departure.
  • Jackie and Shadow have stayed close by, delivering fish and guiding Sunny and Gizmo as they adapt to life in the air.
  • Friends of Big Bear Valley’s live webcam continues to attract thousands of viewers tracking the eaglets’ growth and survival training.