Big Bear eaglets named Sandy and Luna after students pick names in tribute to late director
Two bald eaglets in the Big Bear Lake nest were officially named Sandy and Luna after third-grade students selected names from nearly 64,000 submissions; ‘Sandy’ honors the late Friends of Big Bear Valley executive director.
- Students chose the names: Third-grade classes cast the deciding votes from a 30-name ballot drawn from 63,915 public submissions.
- Tribute: “Sandy” was the most popular single submission and serves as a tribute to the late FOBBV director.
- Nest monitoring: The 24-hour nest cam run by FOBBV streams the chicks’ growth and behavior to a national audience.
Full story and details
Overview: Big Bear Lake, California — The pair of bald eaglets in the Big Bear nest watched by thousands online have been named Sandy and Luna. Parented by the well-known adults Jackie and Shadow, the names were selected through a combined public fundraiser and classroom voting process that drew nationwide participation.
Key information
- The chicks hatched April 4 and April 5, 2026 to adult eagles Jackie and Shadow.
- Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), which runs the 24-hour nest cam, announced the names Sandy (Chick 1) and Luna (Chick 2) after a student vote.
- The name choices came from nearly 64,000 public submissions; 30 names were randomly placed on ballots for third-grade classes, who cast the deciding votes (ABC13; Popular Science).
- The eaglets are nearly one month old and weigh about 3 pounds each, with emerging personality differences that help viewers tell Sandy and Luna apart (Laist).
How the Big Bear eaglets naming process worked
Friends of Big Bear Valley opened a public fundraiser that invited name submissions for the 2026 chicks. The organization received 63,915 entries. FOBBV then selected 30 gender-neutral names at random to put on ballots for third-grade students studying bald eagles in the Big Bear Valley area (ABC13; Laist).
Voting results: Students voted and picked Sandy with 30 votes and Luna with 25 votes from the 30-name slate. Runners-up included Star, Chip and Phoenix (VVNG; Popular Science). The ballot process was explicitly designed to be inclusive, since the chicks’ sexes will not be known until they are about 9 to 10 weeks old.
A tribute to Sandy Steers
The name Sandy carries special local meaning. It honors the late FOBBV Executive Director Sandy Steers, who launched the eagle cam in 2015 and died in February 2026 after a battle with cancer. Among the 63,915 submissions, Sandy was the single most popular entry, with 3,706 people suggesting the name (ABC13; Popular Science).
“Please know that although Sandy would not have wanted us to outright name one of the eaglets Sandy, she would have been honored that you and the students went through the process and named one of the 2026 eaglets after her,” FOBBV said when announcing the names.
Eaglet development, appearance and behavior
The chicks hatched extremely small — roughly 2 ounces — and have shown rapid growth. At nearly four weeks old they each weigh close to 3 pounds. Observers tracking the 24-hour livestream note subtle differences emerging that help viewers tell Sandy and Luna apart (Laist).
Behavioral notes from FOBBV: Sandy is currently the larger chick, with a relatively larger head and neck and a slight curve to the gape, and has been observed as more submissive in interactions. Luna is smaller but shows more assertive, occasionally aggressive behavior. Recent footage shows the siblings spending increasing time together and less time “bonking” each other as they bond. FOBBV cautions that these traits are subtle and may change as the birds grow; sexes remain undetermined pending DNA or later field identification.
Where to watch Jackie and Shadow raise Sandy and Luna
The nest cam runs 24 hours a day on YouTube. Fans and researchers can follow the pair’s progress on the FOBBV channel at youtube.com/@FOBBVCAM. A video announcing the names is also posted on the channel.
Educational outreach and fundraising impact
The naming campaign combined public fundraising with classroom involvement. FOBBV used the fundraiser to raise support for its programs and to gather a broad pool of name ideas. Nearly 64,000 submissions reflect wide public interest and allowed classroom activities to connect students directly with a real conservation project (ABC13).
This effort mirrors approaches used by other wildlife cameras: community engagement, fundraising for local conservation work, and school-based lessons that give students hands-on learning about ecology, wildlife behavior and stewardship (Popular Science).
Community reaction and volunteers
The naming drew broad attention online. Social media users and commenters celebrated the students’ role and paid tribute to Steers. Local volunteers and FOBBV staff, who have maintained the cam and nest monitoring since 2015, are widely credited with sustaining the program and keeping public attention on Big Bear’s wildlife (Laist).
Investigative note: transparency and process
FOBBV’s process included random selection of the 30 ballot names from the large submission pool, then a vote by third-grade students. The organization emphasized gender-neutral names because the chicks’ sexes were unknown. The counts released — 63,915 total submissions and 3,706 entries for “Sandy,” plus the student vote totals — match the numbers published in the public announcements (ABC13; VVNG).
Implications for Walla Walla, Washington
Economic impact: The Big Bear nest cam demonstrates how a small conservation project can attract national and international attention. Walla Walla businesses and nonprofits could adopt a similar low-overhead model — wildlife cameras, walking tours or seasonal festivals — to attract visitors and online engagement.
Educational consequences: Involving third-grade students shows clear classroom benefits. Walla Walla schools could use local wildlife monitoring, bird counts, or river health projects to meet science standards while teaching civic engagement. The envelope-style ballot approach is classroom-friendly and adaptable.
Political and civic effects: The campaign highlights how grassroots volunteer groups and small nonprofits can deliver conservation results without major government programs. For community leaders and residents favoring local solutions, the FOBBV example emphasizes volunteer stewardship and private fundraising as effective civic tools.
Practical applications: Walla Walla residents and organizations can watch Sandy and Luna’s livestream for classroom lessons, after-school clubs, and community events. Local groups can replicate the fundraiser-plus-classroom-vote model to raise funds and engage students.
How local groups can start: Begin with a clear conservation project, set up modest camera or monitoring equipment, partner with teachers and volunteers, run a transparent public fundraiser, and invite a classroom to cast the deciding vote. The Big Bear example is a low-cost, high-engagement playbook for community-minded groups.
Live viewing and follow-up
Walla Walla residents and conservation clubs can follow Sandy and Luna on the FOBBV YouTube channel to watch growth milestones, potential banding updates, and eventual fledging. The livestream also provides a platform for classroom observation and community events tied to local conservation calendars (announcement video; Laist coverage).
Sources and verification
- ABC13
- Laist
- Victor Valley News Group (VVNG)
- Popular Science
- FOBBV YouTube announcement video
- FOBBV YouTube channel
Contact / follow-up: For updates and livestream viewing, visit the FOBBV channel and the cited coverage above. For classroom resources or to inquire about reproducing a similar program locally, contact Friends of Big Bear Valley through their channel or local outreach pages.
