Bald Eagle’s First Flight Takes a Scary Turn at Big Bear Lake

On Sunday morning, a beloved bald eagle at Big Bear Lake had an unexpected mishap during its first flight, which was shown live on the area’s nest camera.

The young eagle, named Sandy and raised by the famous pair Jackie and Shadow, lost balance while attempting to take off on her maiden flight, an event referred to as a “nesting” by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley that operates the camera.

In a dramatic moment captured on video, Sandy appeared startled as her brother Luna tried to leap over her, leading to her unfortunate fall from the nest.

Witnesses from Big Bear Valley noted that Sandy seemed to have landed on a nearby branch below the nest, trying to regain her composure, as seen from the camera’s perspective.

Immediately, her mother Jackie rushed to her side, watching over the young bird.

According to the nonprofit, Jackie has encountered similar situations with other eaglets in the past. Both Jackie and Shadow are known to closely follow Sandy to ensure she is properly fed and cared for.

Photographers are actively searching for Sandy, who has gone missing after her plunge. Typically, young bald eagles fledge and take their first flights around 13 weeks of age.

With both Sandy and Luna nearing 12 weeks old, this unexpected incident pushed Sandy into exploring the outside world a bit earlier than usual.

Interestingly, two new internet sensations emerged over the Easter weekend, much to the joy of viewers worldwide.

Sandy was named in memory of Sandy Stairs, the longtime executive director of Big Bear Valley and a passionate advocate for eagle habitats, who sadly passed away in February.

Friends of Big Bear Valley mentioned that Sandy was the most popular name in their naming contest, being chosen 3,706 times from over 63,000 entries.

“While Mr. Sandy wouldn’t have wanted us to specifically name one of our eagles after him, he would have been honored by the recognition from the community,” the organization stated.