Nature

Egg Watch '25: Jackie, the Big Bear bald eagle, has been ‘rehearsing' incubation

Egg Watch 2025 has commenced, and sweet scenes are winging our way from the world-famous nest.

Friends of Big Bear Valley

Since Jackie and Shadow, the world-famous bald eagles of Big Bear Lake, were first seen performing "nestorations" on their nest in the late fall of 2024, fans have been hoping that egg-laying time might be in the future.

Make that "near future": The moving of sticks has continued, with both eagles visiting the enormous aerie, which is located in a tall Jeffery pine tree, with remarkable regularity.

But the signals that it may soon be "go time" for "egg time" are picking up: Jackie has been seen settling in to try out the fluff-filled bowl of the nest.

This position is dubbed "pancaking," though you might also call it "rehearsing," as in getting ready for the arrival of an egg.

Or eggs, of course: Jackie laid three eggs in early 2024, though none proved viable.

A nest-close camera helmed by the nonprofit organization Friends of Big Bear Valley is trained on the nest, every minute of every day.

This means that thousands of viewers can keep their eagle tab open and their highest hopes up, all to see if the famous birds are giving each other "beaky kisses" (yes, with some frequency) or if a flying squirrel — delightfully dubbed "Fiona" — has visited the nest while the eagles are away, all to nose around for any tasty tidbits (this is adorably afoot, too).

We've officially begun Egg Watch 2025, and, as in past winters, we're keeping our talons, beaks, and pin feathers crossed, hoping that this is the year we'll dote upon a new eaglet, or two, or even three.

If you're seeking timing clues from past years, Jackie laid her first 2024 egg Jan. 25, with egg #2 arriving Jan. 28 and egg #3 on the final day of January.

Whatever comes to pass this season, Jackie and Shadow continue to deliver not only fish and sticks to their beloved nest, but joy and hope to fans around the globe.

Authorities are warning residents about an increased in wildlife sightings as animals flee from the wildfires burning in Southern California. As seen on the NBC4 News at 1 a.m. on Jan. 9, 2025.
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