One of Jackie and Shadow’s chicks accidentally left the nest

bald eagle chick — Luna seen on the live cam shortly after Sandy unexpectedly left the nest.

*Image: FOBBV*

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Fledging doesn’t always go to plan. On Sunday morning at 11:24 am PDT, one of Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 chicks accidentally fledged after a mishap.

Sandy and Luna had stepped onto the nest’s “front porch” when Luna attempted to jump over his sister to re-enter the bowl of the nest. The maneuver put Sandy off balance, causing her to lose her footing and to go flapping down the tree onto lower branches. She managed to dislodge herself from the branches and landed elsewhere in another tree. Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the non-profit organization that runs the bald eagle’s 24/7 livecam, reported hearing “squees” from Sandy as she vocalized to her parents.

Mom Jackie arrived within a few minutes and will now take turns with dad Shadow watching over Sandy on her out-of-nest adventures. “Sandy looked good in her flight, and she is likely relaxing from her unexpected adventure” FOBBV shared on Instagram. “Jackie and Shadow will now follow her wherever she goes and make sure she is fed and taken care of. Currently our camera operators are continuing to search for her.”

Bald eagles typically fledged between 10 and 14 weeks old. Sandy was born in early April and is now 12 weeks old. While within the expected range for fledging, she hadn’t yet completed all the flap training many young eagles do before their first flight. FOBBV will keep viewers updated as the camera operators try to locate Sandy. They’ve asked people to stay out of the area to not disturb the eagles and their habitat.