There's a good reason that just about every human uses the timeless adage "fly the nest" at some point, and it is this: Even though we ourselves do not possess wings, we understand exactly what this popular saying means.
Flying the nest, though, is as real as the wind, rain, and sunshine to birds, including some of the most well-known wing-rockers on the planet.
We're thinking of Jackie and Shadow here, the obsessed-over bald eagles of Big Bear Lake, and the spunky chicks they have raised over the years, including those chicks that spread their wings and fledged.
But sometimes, on occasion, a young eagle might briefly return home for a quick stop-by weeks or months later, calling upon the very place where they hatched and grew stronger, one tasty, beak-fed piece of fish at a time.
That may be exactly what happened Aug. 28 at the celebrated nest, a lake-close aerie that is instantly recognizable to thousands of Jackie and Shadow fans around the world.
Gizmo, one of the two chicks from the 2025 season, appeared to return, an exciting sighting for fans still tuning in to observe the empty nest.
Viewing the nest around-the-clock, all year long, is made possible by the nonprofit nature organization Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates the tree-high camera.
The knowledgeable bird lovers at the organization observed "multiple distinguishing signs" on the juvenile eagle, signs that suggested it was Gizmo.
"It's not possible to tell the size, without another known eagle there for comparison," shared the Friends of Big Bear Valley post.
"But, as the juvie moved around in the nest, looking curiously at everything around, and moving sticks in the nest bowl, it was possible to see the dark feather pattern, including the back of the tail, and the slightly turned up gape at the corners of the beak, all like Gizmo had."
Knowing where Jackie and Shadow's eaglets head to after fledging isn't always possible, though there were some sightings in the days and weeks after they left the nest.
Gizmo first flew nearly three months ago, just a few days after her sister Sunny, so this possible return drop-in was a delight for fans looking on from home.
Friends of Big Bear Valley also operates a second camera that offers a wider view of the forest, and you can check it out whenever you like, whether it is nesting season or not.
Soon, however, it will be stick season, as temperatures in the mountains grows colder, and eagle enthusiasts hope to see both Jackie and Shadow delivering sticks and fluff to the nest ahead of, talons crossed, a successful and egg-ful winter.
Read more about the juvenile eagle's surprise visit to the nest, and why the Friends of Big Bear Valley observers believe the handsome bird could have been Gizmo. "It was either Gizmo, or a whole lot of weird coincidences," was the intriguing sum-up.
By the by, the eagle cams are free to watch, though donations to FOBBV are gratefully accepted (and help keep those cameras on and in tip-top shape).