High atop a pine tree in California's Big Bear Valley, Sunny and Gizmo are on the brink of taking their first flight. A conservation group's live webcam brought their parents and the chicks to fame. Andres Gutierrez has more.

Big Bear Lake

High above California’s Big Bear Valley, two bald eagle chicks named Sunny and Gizmo are nearing their first flight. The chicks, siblings raised by parent eagles Jackie and Shadow, have become widely known thanks to a conservation group’s live webcam, which has brought international attention to their nesting journey.

At approximately ten weeks old, Sunny and Gizmo are testing their wings, which span nearly six feet. Observers from the Friends of Big Bear Valley, the conservation group managing the webcams, noted that it is unusual for two chicks to reach this stage from one nest in the area.

Earlier in the nesting season, the parent eagles laid three eggs. Jackie and Shadow alternated in keeping the eggs warm and protecting them from predators and severe weather, including blizzards and strong winds. While one egg did not survive a snowstorm, Sunny and Gizmo successfully hatched and have grown from small chicks to nearly three feet tall.

The live feed has allowed people around the world to witness the chicks’ development, with viewers watching as the young eagles prepare to leave the nest. As Sunny and Gizmo approach their first flight, their parents will soon experience the end of this nesting season.



Internet-famous eagle chicks are on the brink of first flight

You've heard the saying time flies, well any day now so will Sonny and Gizmo. Don't know their names? Let me introduce you. The Eaglets are members of this California bald eagle family and stars of their own webcam reality show, That's a Global Sensation. Here again is CBS's Andres Gutierrez in Big Bear, California. High atop a pine tree in California's Big Bear Valley, Sonny and Gizmo are on the brink of a major milestone, their first flight. They're the bald eagle chicks of Jackie and Shadow. Now 10 weeks old, they've grown up fast. The brother and sister duo are testing their nearly 6 foot long wings. Sandy Steers helps run Friends of Big Bear Valley, the conservation group that monitors the webcams that capture the eagles every move. We have only always seen at most one chick that fledged from here, so having two of them be ready is beyond imagination. Interest intensified this winter when Jackie laid three eggs. What came next was a labor of love. Jackie and Shadow taking turns keeping the eggs warm and safe from predators and the elements that included a blizzard and howling winds. It's amazing to watch their dedication. Last year their three eggs failed to hatch, but this spring, success. Sonny and Gizmo hatched in early March. A third eaglet died during a snowstorm. The world has watched the siblings grow from fist-sized fluffs to 3 feet tall. And when the eaglets take flight, Jackie and Shadow will be faced with the reality of all parents, an empty nest. How bittersweet is this for you to see Jackie and Shadow essentially now see their kids off? It's like heartfelt and exciting and at the same time heartbreaking. I mean, I'm celebrating and at the same time crying. Andres Gutierrez, CBS News, Big Bear, California.

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