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Jackie and Shadow expecting again
Big Bear's beloved bald eagle, Jackie, has laid her second egg of the season.
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. - Big Bear Valley’s most famous residents are growing their family once again.
Jackie and Shadow, the viral bald eagle love birds whose lives are broadcast to thousands of viewers worldwide, have officially entered the 2026 nesting season with the arrival of two new eggs.
What we know:
Jackie laid her first egg of the year just after 4 p.m. local time on Friday, January 23, according to the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV).
Following her historical pattern, she delivered a second egg on the evening of Monday, January 26.
FOBBV, which maintains the 24/7 livestream, confirmed that both parents have been seen intermittently tending to the nest.
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What they're saying:
Currently, the eagles are practicing what is known as "delayed incubation."
According to FOBBV, "They intermittently incubate and stay off or hover over the egg(s) until the last egg of the clutch is laid. Once the last egg is laid, they should incubate all the eggs more regularly."
This behavior ensures that the chicks develop at a similar pace and hatch closer together, increasing their chances of survival, they added.
What we don't know:
While Jackie has laid three eggs in each of the last two seasons, it is not yet certain if a third egg is on the way for 2026.
Experts note that bald eagles can lay anywhere from one to five eggs per clutch.
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Additionally, the viability of the eggs remains a mystery until the hatching window arrives, as environmental factors like temperature and oxygen levels at high altitudes can influence development.
Timeline:
January 22, 2025: Jackie lays the first egg of the 2025 season.
March 3–8, 2025: A rare "triple hatch" occurs as three chicks emerge.
March 14, 2025: A severe winter storm hits the nest; one chick (later named Misty) tragically perishes, while two survive.
June 2, 2025: The first surviving chick, Sunny, successfully fledges (takes her first flight).
June 7, 2025: The second chick, Gizmo, successfully fledges, making Jackie and Shadow "empty nesters."
January 23, 2026: Jackie lays the first egg of the new season at 4:32 p.m.
January 26, 2026: A second egg arrives Monday evening, roughly 72 hours after the first.
Late February 2026: Expected "Pip Watch" for the current 2026 eggs.
The backstory:
The 2026 season follows a year of emotional highs and lows for Jackie and Shadow.
In 2025, Jackie began her journey on January 25, eventually laying a full clutch of three eggs.
The season was initially hailed as a massive success when all three eggs successfully hatched—a rare feat for the pair.
However, the harsh environment of the San Bernardino National Forest presented a significant challenge in March 2025, when a severe winter storm battered the nest. Despite the parents' best efforts to shield them, one chick tragically died due to the extreme conditions.
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The two surviving chicks, later named Sunny and Gizmo, became viral sensations as they grew. After months of being fed a steady diet of fish and coots by Jackie and Shadow, both eaglets successfully reached their milestones, eventually fledging the nest to begin their lives as independent raptors in the wild.
What's next:
Eagle-eyed fans will be watching the nest closely over the next 48 to 72 hours to see if Jackie produces a third egg.
Once the clutch is complete, the community will transition into the month-long "incubation marathon," where Jackie and Shadow will trade shifts around the clock to keep the eggs at a consistent incubation temperature (between 97°F and 98°F), even through Southern California's mountain winter storms.
Viewers can follow the journey in real-time by tuning into the Friends of Big Bear Valley 24/7 livestream on YouTube.
To support the preservation of the habitat and the maintenance of the camera equipment, you can visit the nonprofit’s official website to make a donation or learn more about bald eagle conservation in the San Bernardino National Forest.
The Source: Information for this report was gathered from data and official statements provided by Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit organization responsible for the 24/7 monitoring of the nest. Additional context regarding the eagles' history and biological behaviors was sourced from their documented nest logs and previous interviews with executive director Sandy Steers.