Bald eagles Jackie and Shadow have for years been the stars of a reality show set in an attic surrounded by pine trees above Big Bear Lake.
However, this week it was an unexpected surprise as devoted live webcam viewers focused on the eagles’ nest watched as the lifelong pair welcomed three eggs, believed to be the first time. for Jackie.
“#3!!!!!!!!!!!!,” the Friends of Big Bear Valley posted in a Facebook update, “Jackie’s first full clutch of 3 eggs!”
And now, new and veteran viewers alike can tune in as the eagles struggle to keep their eggs warm as winter weather hits.
Late Thursday afternoon, video captured one of the two sitting atop the nest while the other landed on a nearby branch, with the snow-covered nest swaying in the wind. The pair swapped places, revealing the trio of eggs as they did so. In the background were the snow-covered pine trees and the misty silhouette of the lake.
Jackie, believed to be about 12 years old, laid the last egg Wednesday night in a nest about 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep. In a Facebook update, the Friends of Big Bear Valley said she laid “Egg #3 in the calm last night and just before today’s storm. “She is a soldier.”
“Jackie and Shadow run a well-organized and trouble-free home,” the update notes. “Their changes have been totally synchronized. This is very important now as they could have three newly hatched chicks running around the nest in about a month!”
As the sun set on Thursday, one of the eagles kept a solitary vigil amidst swirling snow; occasional gusts of wind ruffled feathers and branches alike.
Eagle eggs take about 35 days to hatch. About three months later, the eaglets “make their first unstable flights,” according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A few days later, they will “fledge” or abandon the nest. But they will stay around for about six more weeks, while mom and dad provide them with food and help them hone their hunting skills.
The San Bernardino Mountains are home to the largest wintering population of bald eagles in Southern California, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Jackie and Shadow, however, reside in Big Bear year-round.
Bald eagle pairs can raise one or two chicks at a time, but three is rare, according to Fish and Wildlife officials. A juvenile bald eagle has less than a 50% chance of surviving its first year of life, according to the American Eagle Foundation.
Jackie and Shadow have lost eggs in the past that were not viable or had been eaten by crows.
However, friends and fans of the camera are always optimistic.
“I just saw they had 3 eggs, how amazing!!” wrote one fan on Facebook.
Friends of Big Bear Valley installed the webcam nearly a decade ago and it remains active year-round. When asked in 2020 about the birds’ enduring popularity, Sandy Steers, a biologist and executive director of the nonprofit, told The Times: “I think people were longing for something to cheer for.”
View the live webcam here.