Eagle-eyed viewers worldwide celebrate as third Bear Valley chick hatches
The sight of the last little eaglet breaking free from its shell has sparked widespread excitement and joy, drawing tens of thousands of viewers.
After the first two eggs hatched earlier this week, the third egg began to hatch on the Big Bear Valley Eagle cam in Big Bear Valley, Calfornia on March 7.
"Today at 10:21 we spotted Pip movement in the third egg. You can see the chick's beak moving inside the egg," Friends of Big Bear Valley posted on Facebook Thursday. "At 10:53 the Pip site looked a bit larger."
Jackie and Shadow, the renowned bald eagle pair of Big Bear Valley, California, have successfully welcomed two new hatchlings into their nest and are diligently trading shifts atop the eaglets and their last egg amid adverse weather conditions.
"We are under snowy weather today. Jackie and Shadow may hunker down for the whole day and skip the feedings, even though there is plenty of food on the nest. Protecting the chicks from the elements is very important," the Facebook update continued. "Hatching is a long process. It may take a day or more for the chick to fully emerge from the shell. We are expecting sunny weather tomorrow. Just in time for the new Chick3!
The first egg began hatching over the weekend. Viewers who had been closely monitoring the nest via a 24-hour webcam caught the magical moment when the first baby eagle emerged just before 11:30 p.m. on Monday. The webcam, positioned 145 feet high in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake, provided a front-row seat to the long-anticipated event.
Soon thereafter, a second eaglet cracked its way out of its shell. Both Mom and Dad have been doing a great job making sure both of their newly hatched chicks are fed well, staying warm and protected from the elements.
Friends of Big Bear Valley’s Sandy Steers gives the latest update on the bald eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, and their growing family. Two eaglets have hatched, with the last egg showing movement.
Jackie and Shadow’s journey to parenthood has been fraught with challenges. Last year, despite the couple diligently taking turns watching three eggs, they never hatched. In 2023, their eggs were eaten by ravens, and the previous winter brought severe weather conditions, including a storm that left Jackie on the nest for 62 consecutive hours, often buried in snow. These hardships, combined with the low oxygen levels at high altitude, were suspected reasons why their eggs failed to hatch in previous years, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. 2022 marked the last time Jackie and Shadow successfully hatched an eaglet, later named Spirit, in a contest held by Friends of Big Bear Valley.
Bald eagle eggs generally have a 50-50 chance of hatching, according to Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. Despite the odds, the eagle couple's determination has paid off this year, with two eggs successfully hatched and the third expected to follow soon.
The sight of the tiny eaglets breaking free from their shells (pipping) has sparked widespread excitement and joy, drawing tens of thousands of viewers to the Friends of Big Bear Valley website and Facebook page.
Friends of Big Bear Valley continue to monitor the nest closely, providing adorable updates and ensuring that the new family remains safe and healthy.
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