The Big Bears Eagles wandered for the first time, but still didn't run away or run away. What's the difference?
One of the Big Bear Eagles Thursday marked another milestone – the first time hovering in the air.
Sunny circled “circling” for the first time on Tuesday, the nonprofit that runs a 24-hour nest cam 145 feet from the Jeffrey Pine Tree overlooking Big Bear Lake.
The Eagles have been practicing tree limbs, slapping and bounce up and down. Wandering is the Eagles catching the wind at the right moment, which removes their bodies from the ground, but they don't completely leave the nest.
Sunny and Gizmo hatched in March, but their triplet siblings died after a snowstorm brought over 2 feet of snow.
The difference between wandering and running away, because the latter is when the Eagles actually leave the nest. “ledge window” usually occurs when the Hawks are between 10 and 14 weeks. Gizmo is expected to reach 12 weeks on Saturday.
According to Steers, Sunny and Gizmo are about 3 feet tall and the same size as their father Shadow. Their wingspan now extends to over 5 feet, and the nest shared with their parents (Shadow and Jackie) is 6 feet above.
Once Eaglets get up, some return on the same day, and some return within a few days.
Jackie and Shadow follow their Eagles even after their first flight to protect them and teach them how to find food. The Hawks did not reach sexual maturity until they were around the age of 4 to 5.
“Sometimes they come back and go on for months, sometimes not long,” Steers said. “They usually leave the hatch after fully teaching how to live in the world for a few months. Then they travel for a few years.”
Steers said that over the past few months, she has learned a lot from observing Sunny and Gizmo's observations, which are two Eaglets instead of one Eaglet.
When there is plenty of food, the sun and gadgets are quite combined and friendly with each other.
“It's completely different from not having enough food or siblings in the competition,” she said. “When they don't know if there will be a lot of food, they're at the beginning. EagleChicks fight and try to kick another food away.”
