Sandy, one of the two Big Bear eaglets, took a steep fall from a tree branch on Sunday morning and later flew away from the nest tree area. Viewers on the 24/7 cameras saw the tumble at 11:24 a.m., then watched the bird recover within minutes.
Jenny Voisard, the media manager with Friends of Big Bear Valley, told viewers to stay calm after the fall and said, “She’s fine,” in a brief interview early Sunday afternoon. She added, “I would just urge everyone to be calm.”
Big Bear live cameras
More than 20,000 viewers were watching the live cameras when Sandy fell, a level of attention that put the bird’s immediate condition under close public scrutiny. Friends of Big Bear Valley operates the 24/7 livestream focused on Sandy and Luna, and that feed showed the sequence unfold in real time.
Friends of Big Bear Valley said the fall followed a collision with Luna on the front porch branches of the large nest. The organization said Luna attempted to jump over Sandy to get back to the nest, and Sandy lost her footing and fell to some branches below.
Jackie below the nest
Friends of Big Bear Valley said Sandy freed herself from the branches a few minutes later and apparently landed somewhere below the nest as her squees could be heard. Jackie showed up within minutes and landed below the nest, keeping an eye on Sandy while the situation played out.
At 11:30, a security camera captured Sandy flying from the nest tree area to another area out of view. Friends of Big Bear Valley said Sandy looked good in her flight and was likely relaxing from her unexpected adventure.
Luna and Shadow
Jackie and her mate Shadow will follow their offspring and make sure she is fed and ok, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Sandy and Luna made their debut on April 4 and April 5, and the group said eaglets typically fledge from a nest 10 to 14 weeks after birth.
Friends of Big Bear Valley said birds are considered ready to fly when they hover by flapping their wings and branch out to perch on other branches. After Sandy fell and then flew away, Luna could be seen on the livestream looking around the nest and chirping loudly, while viewers were left watching for where Sandy landed after she disappeared from view.
