SoCal Bald Eagle 'Egg Watch' Has Fans On Edge Across The Nation

BIG BEAR, CA—Tens of thousands watch a live webcam trained on an active Bald Eagle nest, waiting to see if and when three eggs will hatch. The group of conservationists who run the feed says that nature will take its course, whether good or bad.

The bonded Bald Eagles, known locally as Jackie and Shadow, laid the trio of eggs in January. The team began "pip watch" —where they look for any signs of "pipping" or pre-hatching— on Feb. 29, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley.

The watch is painstakingly slow for over 40,000 people watching the live stream daily, waiting for signs of eggs cracking from within. Unfortunately, it may not happen at all.

Jackie and Shadow have had a rocky road when it comes to successful hatches, according to the conservationists who monitor them. Since 2019, only a handful of chicks have lived long enough to fledge the nest, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley website. Simba and Spirit are among their offspring.

This year, Jackie laid her first egg on Jan. 25. The second was laid on Jan. 28, and the third was laid on Jan. 31, according to the FOBBV website.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the typical bald eagle incubation period is about 35-40 days after the eggs are laid. Tens of thousands watch the live eagle webcam daily. According to a report from KTLA, many are concerned that the eggs have shown no signs of hatching yet.

Waiting for the eggs to hatch and watching nature in action is an exercise in patience, according to the team that monitors the live bald eagle webcam.

According to Friends of Big Bear Valley, egg #1 is likely out of pip-range, but there is still hope for eggs #2 and #3.

"Watching nature builds our patience, our strength, our compassion and our resilience," a spokesperson for the group wrote in a weekly Facebook report. "As a biologist, watching human as well as animal behavior, I know that sometimes, when we worry, we tend to get upset with the people and things around us. Or to want to blame something…because that’s easier than feeling what is happening inside, especially sadness.

"Please allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling. When you feel it, it can dissolve. And in the meantime, we will watch what is happening in nature…Jackie and Shadow have not given up on anything and continue their dedicated egg care.

"When we take the time to observe nature, we learn valuable skills such as patience, appreciation, and curiosity. We recognize that we are not in control and instead choose to trust and continue learning from Jackie, Shadow, and Mother Nature."

To help fundraise for the non-profit that observes the Bald Eagle couple, visit their web page and shop.

Related:

California Bald Eagles Waiting For Egg Hatch: 25K+ Watching Livestream