Big Bear’s favourite baby bird just went airborne. Sunny — the bold, feathery star of the Big Bear bald eagle nest — took her very first flight Monday morning, and yes, it was absolutely majestic.
At exactly 10:46 a.m. on June 2, the 13-week-old eaglet launched herself from the nest high above Big Bear Lake in California, caught the breeze, and flew. The moment, streamed live via the Friends of Big Bear Valley eagle cam, was watched by thousands of eagle-eyed fans around the world.
One second she was hopping and flapping. The next? Full-on lift-off. Cue gasps, happy tears, and likely a few celebratory screeches from mom and dad — the now-iconic bald eagle duo, Jackie and Shadow.
Sunny’s big leap comes after weeks of intense training, which mostly looked like clumsy flapping, awkward hops, and a lot of standing around looking unsure. But it paid off.
“She took off beautifully and flew in control,” Friends of Big Bear Valley president Sandy Steers told CBS News Los Angeles. “She landed on a branch about 30 feet away. She’s a natural.”
Sunny’s sister, Gizmo, who’s about five days younger, watched from the nest like a supportive sibling at a school play — maybe with a hint of “Wait, should I be doing that too?” energy. And no, Gizmo hasn’t flown just yet. But she’s been practicing hard. Expect liftoff soon.
Bald eagle chicks typically fledge (a fancy word for flying for the first time) between 10 and 14 weeks of age. Sunny clocked in right on schedule.
If you’re wondering what happens now — no, Sunny’s not packing her bags for the wild just yet. Juvenile eagles usually hang around the nest for another couple of months, learning how to hunt, soar, and generally be majestic predators. All under the watchful eyes of Jackie and Shadow, who, let’s be honest, deserve their own wildlife reality show at this point.
The livestream, hosted on YouTube and run by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, has turned into a full-blown eagle soap opera over the past few years, attracting a loyal global fanbase. Viewers tune in daily for every fish delivery, every stretch of the wings, and every sibling squabble.
And now, they’ve witnessed the moment they’ve all been waiting for. Want to see Sunny’s first flight? You can rewatch the big moment right here. Fly high, Sunny. You’ve got the whole sky ahead of you.