Around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, one of Jackie and Shadow’s chicks officially broke out of the egg — the first time this season for the beloved SoCal eagle couple — and just in time for Easter Sunday.
According to Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the organization that maintains a live camera of the birds’ nest and runs an Eagle Log documenting their lives, the process of the chick emerging took about 36 hours and required “hard work and a lot of rest for the chick.”
As for right now, the eaglet will be referred to as “Chick 1” until a name is decided; the process begins with fundraiser naming contest, and local third graders have the honor of selecting a name. It will not be named Sandy — FOBBV says that, despite hundreds of requests to name a chick Sandy after Big Bear eagle expert Sandy Steers, Sandy herself would not have wanted that, and they are choosing to honor her wish.
Chick 1’s sibling pipped – or made an initial small hole in its egg – on Saturday, which indicated it too would soon hatch. Then, as FOBBV posted on Facebook on Easter Sunday….
And Chick Makes Two…
This morning April 5th chick 2 made is final scoot out of the eggshell and was considered fully hatched at 8:30:45 cam time.
Chick 1 was getting its first successful feeding at that time. Initial feedings are often challenging as the chicks do not have much muscle strength in their necks. At this stage they are often called bobbleheads! The chicks are fed small bits of fish or other prey. You can also see Jackie salivating quite a bit. The parents’ saliva is full of electrolytes and antibodies which gives the little ones a good healthy start!
Shadow arrived a bit after the 2nd hatch and saw his two tiny eaglets for the first time. He seemed quite proud and didn’t waste any time snuggling in for daddy duty. Both chicks are doing well, looking great and their journey has just begun…
Congratulations on your 2 beautiful fluff balls, Jackie & Shadow!
Thank you for being a part of this wonderful eagle family.
The FOBBV Team
It’s been a busy last few days for the famous eagles, who reside in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Jackie and Shadow successfully raised two eaglets last season: Sunny and Gizmo. (A third chick, Misty, died in a winter storm.) The pair’s first eggs of the 2026 nesting season were tragically lost to a raven attack on January 30. During the eagle’s absence, the raven breached both eggs, causing a significant loss to the pair, who clearly grieved over the event. Since it is unusual for both eagle parents to leave the eggs unattended, it is thought that perhaps there was something wrong with them.
Following that initial tragedy, Jackie and Shadow remained committed to their role as parents, tended the nest, resumed mating, and were eventually rewarded with two more eggs in a “second clutch” last month. This time around, both eagles were resolute in their duties to sit and watch over the eggs and in continued defense of their nest against ravens and other threats throughout the incubation period.
And for that, they have now been happily rewarded with two healthy bobbleheads.
The eagle’s popularity and focus on their ongoing trials, tribulations, as well as victories has raised awareness about the challenges faced by nesting birds and the importance of habitat protection and wildlife conservation efforts.
Click here to access the FOBBV Eagle Cam live stream to watch the fun continue!
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Photo Credit: Petar Marshall / Shutterstock.com