Day 60 Update

Eagle Watch

Since February, I've been fascinated with the Bald Eagles raising two new eaglets in a nest near Big Bear Lake, California. The parent birds, Jackie (mom) and Shadow (dad) have been using this nest for several years. Jackie's first clutch of two eggs, in January, was unsuccessful. On February 24, she laid the first egg in her second clutch, and the second egg on February 27. The parents successfully incubated the eggs and the first hatch was on April 4th. The second hatched on April 5th. I've been watching a live streaming camera, on the nest, and counting up the days since the first egg hatched. Check out my posts in February, March, and April for earlier details of my Eagle Watch. Yesterday, June 2, 2026, was Day 60 and, as you can see in the image below, the eaglets, named Sandy and Luna, are well on their way to first flight from the nest. The average time from hatch to first flight for Bald Eagles is 90 days. I can't wait to see if first flight occurs right around July 4th ... wouldn't it be neat to see one of our National Birds take flight on our country's 250th Anniversary! However, today, June 3rd, something tells me first flight may even be before July. The eaglets are getting big and rowdy! 😊

Sandy, Luna, and mom, June 2, 2026.
Day 60 since first chick hatched in
the Big Bear Valley Eagle nest.
[Images are screenshots from FOBBV YouTube Stream]
Link to the FOBBV Eagle Cam

Close up of Sandy and Luna on May 28
Day 55

REMINDER ... Sandy and Luna with mom
on April 12 ... 
(Days 8 and 7 since hatch.)

Ship Watch

I love to watch ships coming and going here in Seattle, Washington. My view of Puget Sound allows me to see lots of marine activity. I keep the camera handy and snap photos of scenes I enjoy. Let me know if you have questions or comments about the ships below.

Cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, 
arriving under the Full Moon ... June 2, 2026.

Carnival Cruise ship arriving June 1, 2026

Looking out over the Marina full of sailboats to a
bulk carrier vessel (red hull) and, in the distance, a container
ship departing the Port. Olympic Mountains in
the far distance.

U S Coast Guard vessel 751
arriving May 16, 2026.
Alki beach, Seattle, in background.
Info about USCGC Waesche

The LaunchPad seen at anchor in Elliott Bay
June 2nd ... story below.

The Seattle Times reported  that the 390-foot, $300M yacht "Launchpad" … widely linked to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg … arrived in Seattle’s Lake Union on May 27, 2026. On May 31 it moved close to Elliott Bay Marina and has been anchored there. As of June 2^nd, Zuckerberg has not been reported to be aboard. I do not know this, but suspect Zuckerberg will be in Seattle to see the World Cup games and figured the yacht would be a convenient place to stay.   Link to more info about LaunchPad

When the LaunchPad first arrived in Seattle it docked
on Lake Union. This image is from the Seattle Times.

Rhododendron Watch

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Rhododendron plants grow really well. I snapped the image below of a rhody near my home that is one of the prettiest I've ever seen. The color was just amazing. What are your thoughts?

Stamps

Those of you who have visited before know that I've been bitten with the "stamp collecting bug." Here's my latest stamp purchase ... the USPS new 2026 Forever Sunflower Stamp. To celebrate the new stamp, USPS is offering a Sunflowers Notecard Set and I ordered one. It arrived and here is how it looks ...

USPS new Sunflowers Notecard Set
includes 8 cards, 8 envelopes, and 
8 Forever Sunflower Stamps
(4 on each side of the little square)

This image is from the USPS Stamp Store
site and the envelopes are not part of the
notecard set.

Thank you for stopping by John's Island. My plan is to publish my next post when one of the Big Bear Eagle chicks takes flight ... hopefully, in early July, if not sooner!