Sunny is 95 days old, Gizmo is 91 days old.
Sunny fledged 6/2 10:46, Gizmo fledged 6/7 8:27.
Gizmo's fledge was kind of a fludge or accidental fledge. She recovered beautifully and flew off to the Simba Tree (ST).
We have observed a very special moment today. Jackie brought a fish to the nest (the previous fish was brought by Shadow and left on the nest). She tried to entice Gizmo to fly to the nest, but Gizmo was not ready yet. After some back and forth, Jackie fed Gizmo on a branch outside of the nest.
Over the next few weeks, Sunny and Gizmo will have to learn a few very important skills: how to follow the parents around, how to take meals on branches of trees, how to self feed outside of the nest and eventually how to "steal" food from parents. These important skills will help them when they are on their own. For the first year, Juveniles primarily scavenge for food and steal food from other birds (kleptoparatism) whiel they are learning to catch live prey.
Note: Gizmo was flying much slower compared to Jackie and Shadow, who are usually hard to keep up with for the Wide View Camera. This is because her flight feathers are still developing. There is still blood in her flight feathers, making them a bit heavier and impairing flight. Soon the blood will recede and the feathers will become "hard penned", providing a better lift and maneuverability.
Poem from Volunteer Moderator Kelsie Cicalla
🪹 Where Sunny goes we may always ponder,
The nest is home, but for how much longer?
Gizmo perches high - wings are pumping,
Summon bravery as you think of jumping.
🍃In the wind with a whistle,
Through the leaves & the bristle,
When your body and wings are in sync,
You’ll leap off to be caught by instinct.
🌎The world is yours without reservation,
When that moment comes - no hesitation.
We all knew this time would come long ago,
Both raised with love from Jackie & Shadow.
🦅 Born in the nest, raised in the light,
One found the sky, one waits for flight.
Wings will cast in higher air,
Your sky-bound soul will want you there.
From the nest tree to another,
We’ll be watching Miss Gizmo.
You know what to do 🥹
How are Sunny and Gizmo going to get fed and will the parents eventually stop feeding Gizmo?
At this point, adults may begin feeding Sunny off the nest. They will exchange food on other trees in the habitat. They will continue to bring food to the nest for Sunny and Gizmo or to the nearby trees.
How will Jackie and Shadow know where Sunny and Gizmo are is in order to feed them?
Adults locate their chicks by visuals and also by vocalizations.
Will the lake get too low on fish and make it hard for them to find food?
There is a wide variety in Big Bear Lake: Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish. Interestingly, the trout in our lake are stocked, meaning they were raised in a trout farm and fed pellets. Fish is their main staple; but, they also eat waterfowl (Coot) and do hunt mammals occasionally such as Ground and Gray Squirrels, Cottontail Rabbits, Voles, Pack Rats, Gophers. There’s always food available for meal time on the nest and in the territory!
After fledging, when exactly will Sunny and Gizmo leave the area?
We are simply observers and do not have exact answers for every situation. All we really know is at some point they stop visiting the nest or showing up on cameras. However, juveniles usually leave the area 4 to 12 weeks after they fledge. Let’s continue to observe and cherish every visit because it can be the last.
Original live video courtesy of @FOBBVCAM https://www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org/
The opinions presented on this channel do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FOBBV.
🐥Misty hatched 3/3 23:26 | Sunny (likely female) hatched 3/4 4:29 | Gizmo (likely female) hatched 3/8 before 6:13
🐥Misty, who sadly passed away during a winter storm after 3/13/2025, was named in honor of Kathi Misterly, a very dedicated FOBBV volunteer who was lost to cancer and is still very missed.💔
🐥Sunny fledged 6/2 10:46 |
ℹResident Bald Eagle male: Shadow (unbanded) since May 2018. Estimated hatch year: 2014
ℹResident Bald Eagle female: Jackie (unbanded) since September 2016. Estimated hatch year: 2012
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