June 13, 2026, at the Big Bear eagle nest overlooking Big Bear Lake, California, Luna gets big air at Big Bear during an exciting round of pre-flight training, while Sandy’s sweet, honking voice steals the soundtrack from Jackie and Shadow’s nest.
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Sandy and Luna are now ten weeks old, or 69 days old, and the Big Bear eagle nest is beginning to feel like a launchpad. The tiny eaglet days are gone. In their place are long wings, powerful feet, restless energy, and those unforgettable moments when the nest seems just a little too small for two growing young bald eagles.
This stage always comes with a mix of joy and heart-tugging reality. Sandy and Luna are still home in the nest, still under Jackie and Shadow’s care, and still very much part of the daily rhythm viewers love. Yet every wingbeat now feels like it is pointing toward the sky.
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Luna Gets Big Air at Big Bear
Luna has been practicing hard, and this latest round of wingercising showed just how much strength he is building. He flapped, hopped, bounced, and lifted himself off the nest with the kind of big air that makes viewers hold their breath for half a second.
It was not a fledge. Luna stayed in the nest. However, these strong lifts are exactly the kind of pre-flight training eaglets need before that first real trip into the air. Each jump helps build leg strength and each wingbeat helps develop flight muscles. Each landing teaches balance, control, and confidence.
At ten weeks old, Luna is now in the late stage of nest development. Bald eaglets often fledge between 10 and 14 weeks of age, but there is no perfect countdown clock in nature. An eaglet leaves when its body, instincts, and courage line up in one life-changing leap.
For Luna, those pieces are clearly coming together. His wings looked strong and his hops had more lift. His whole body seemed full of that wild, restless energy young eagles get when the nest is still home, but the sky is starting to call louder.
Sandy Watches the Air Show From the Nest
While Luna turned the nest into his personal flight school, Sandy added the perfect bit of sibling theater. As Luna flapped and bounced nearby, Sandy seemed to take in the whole performance from her side of the nest.
That contrast made the moment even better. Luna was all motion, wings, feet, and lift. Sandy was the watchful nestmate, close enough to catch the commotion and calm enough to make the scene feel funny, tender, and very familiar to anyone who has watched siblings grow up together.
The wing slaps, stomps, and awkward landings may look silly, but they are not just random nest chaos. This is how young bald eagles prepare. They practice in bursts, test their bodies, misjudge a landing, try again, and slowly build the strength they will need beyond the nest tree.
Sandy may not have been the one catching big air in this moment, but she was part of what made the scene so memorable. Her quiet presence beside Luna’s high-energy workout gave the whole nest moment its charm.
Sandy Steals the Soundtrack With Her Growing Voice
Luna may have owned the air show, but Sandy stole the soundtrack.
Her developing voice has become one of the sweetest surprises at the Big Bear eagle nest. Sandy’s vocalizations have a unique, honking quality that stands out from the usual nest sounds. They are still young, still forming, and still far from the powerful adult calls Jackie and Shadow are known for, but they already have personality.
There is something especially delightful about hearing Sandy experiment with sound while Luna experiments with lift. One eaglet is practicing the body language of flight. The other is testing the music of becoming an eagle. Together, they filled the nest with a perfect snapshot of this late-season stage.
With Jackie as her mother, it is easy to imagine Sandy one day developing a strong voice of her own. Jackie’s calls are famous among Big Bear eagle watchers, and Sandy’s little honks feel like the early notes of something still under construction.
For now, Sandy’s voice is not a full eagle declaration. It is more like a feathery warm-up, part honk, part chirp, part “listen to me, I am growing too.” And honestly, that may be what makes it so endearing.
Why This Pre-Fledge Stage Matters
Sandy and Luna are now close to the time when every day can bring a noticeable change. Their wings are longer, their bodies are stronger, and their behavior is becoming more focused on the skills they will need outside the nest.
Fledging usually happens after a period of wingercising, hopping, balancing, and often branching. Branching is when a young eagle moves from the nest to a nearby branch or branch-like part of the nest tree. It is an important step because it helps eaglets practice gripping, balance, distance judgment, and confidence before their first true flight.
That is why Luna’s big air at Big Bear matters. He was not simply showing off. He was building strength, testing lift, and learning how his wings and feet work together. Those bouncy, dramatic nest moves are part of the process that will eventually carry him into the air for real.
Last season at Big Bear, Sunny fledged on day 90 and Gizmo fledged on day 91. Sandy and Luna are now 69 days old, which could mean there are still a few weeks of practice ahead if they follow a similar timeline. However, each eaglet is different, and fledging will happen when each one is ready.
A Bittersweet Countdown for Jackie and Shadow’s Eaglets
This is the part of the season that feels both thrilling and tender. Viewers wait for these milestones, then feel their hearts wobble a little when they arrive. Luna’s powerful hops are exciting. Sandy’s growing voice is adorable. Yet both are reminders that the nest chapter is moving quickly.
Jackie and Shadow have carried Sandy and Luna through every stage so far, from fragile hatchlings to strong young eaglets standing on the edge of independence. Their care, food deliveries, protection, and steady presence have helped shape this moment.
Now the results of that care are becoming impossible to miss. Luna is building lift. Sandy is finding her voice. Both eaglets are showing more confidence, more personality, and more signs that the sky is no longer just scenery around the nest.
For now, they are still together at Big Bear, still practicing in the nest, still calling, watching, hopping, resting, and growing. These pre-fledge days do not last long, but they are some of the most memorable days of the season.
Luna’s big air at Big Bear and Sandy’s unforgettable little soundtrack gave viewers one of those moments that captures exactly why this nest is so beloved. Nothing huge had to happen. No fledge, no dramatic departure, no sudden crisis. Just two young eagles becoming more themselves, one wingbeat and one funny little call at a time.
The Friends Of Big Bear Valley make this live cam experience possible. This video was recorded by Lady Hawk on youtube(see video).
Frequently Asked Questions
How old were Sandy and Luna on June 13, 2026?
Sandy and Luna were 69 days old on June 13, 2026. They were also ten weeks old, placing them in the late nest-development stage before fledging.
Did Luna fledge from the Big Bear eagle nest?
No. Luna did not fledge in this moment. He was practicing pre-flight skills inside the nest with strong wingercising, hops, jumps, and big air lifts.
What does it mean when Luna gets big air?
When Luna gets big air at Big Bear, it means he is using powerful wingbeats and leg strength to lift himself off the nest during practice. These movements help build the strength and control needed before fledging.
When do bald eaglets usually fledge?
Bald eaglets usually fledge between 10 and 14 weeks of age. However, each eaglet leaves the nest when it is physically ready and confident enough to take that first flight.
Why is Sandy’s voice getting attention?
Sandy’s developing voice has a sweet, honking quality that stands out on the nest cam. Her vocalizations are part of her growth and give viewers another glimpse of her personality as she matures.