With thousands watching from their own perches, Jackie the Big Bear eagle delivered her first egg of 2024 late Thursday afternoon, Jan. 25.
Jackie and her partner, Shadow, spent days preparing the nest perched above Big Bear Lake for the new arrival. According to Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates two cameras trained on the nest and broadcasts the going-ons live on YouTube, Jackie and Shadow exhibited behavior the previous weekend that hinted at what was to come.
RELATED: Baby Big Bear bald eagle grows up, soars away and then returns
“Sitting and kissing and fishes, oh my … ,” a post on FOBBV’s Facebook page reads. “Over the weekend, Jackie and Shadow’s behavior kept moving more and more in the direction of it’s now nesting season and we’re serious about it.”
About 4:54 p.m. Thursday, with some 5,000 people watching remotely, according to YouTube, Jackie strained and squealed and finally, the egg appeared.
Now, pip watch begins.
In the past, Jackie’s eggs that have hatched have done so about 38 days after their arrival. Last year, Jackie laid two eggs but neither hatched. FOBBV representatives say there are multiple variables that impact Jackie and Shadow and whether the eggs will hatch, such as solar flares, earthquakes, confused hormones, intruder eagles and weather conditions.
