It was only a few months ago that we watched the hatching of Big Bear's newest baby eagle live on video as she emerged from her egg under the watchful eye of her parents.
She had been practicing for a few weeks now, taking small leaps and trying out her balance near the nest.
Parents Jackie and Shadow hatched the egg back in early March with the live feed capturing Spirit’s first feeding. It was a successful hatch after having lost many eggs beforehand due to winter exposure and animal intruders. The eaglet is expected to return to the nest soon in a few days, to eat, sleep hang out with her parents, and learn from their behaviors.Spirit will stay in the area for about two months until she finally ventures out a few hundred or even thousand miles away from her parents.
The species has made an impressive comeback in the Golden State after being on the brink of extinction in 1977. Bald eagles were reported to be nesting in only eight of the state's 58 counties in 1977. Now, they have roots in 41.