A pair of eaglets has hatched in a nest on Big Bear Lake, drawing a fresh wave of attention to the popular eagle cam livestream managed by local volunteers. The two chicks are the offspring of the well-known Big Bear bald eagle pair Jackie and Shadow, and both emerged from their shells on Easter morning after a prolonged cracking and pecking process.
The nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, which monitors the nest, reported that the first chick broke free early Sunday morning. Video from the camera captured a small, downy eaglet moving about the nest shortly after it emerged, prompting cheers from viewers tuning into the feed. According to the group, the full hatching sequence for the first egg took roughly 36 hours from the moment cracking began until the chick was fully out of its shell.
The second egg hatched soon afterward, with Friends of Big Bear Valley noting the second chick had emerged shortly before 9 a.m. Local watchers continued to observe the nest throughout the morning, celebrating the arrival of the two young birds and sharing clips and stills from the livestream across social media. Friends of Big Bear Valley has posted updates and maintains the camera so the public can follow the nesting season in near real time.
Video of the hatchlings shows the characteristic fluffy, pale down of newly hatched bald eagles. Friends of Big Bear Valley and longtime nest viewers will now be tracking the chicks’ early development — feedings, growth spurts and the all-important feathering-out phase — while Jackie and Shadow tend to their young. The pair has been a fixture of the Big Bear Lake area for multiple seasons and draws steady community interest whenever they nest.
Nesting season for raptors like Jackie and Shadow typically involves close parental care through the first several weeks as the chicks gain strength and coordination. Observers and volunteers who follow the Big Bear nest will be paying particular attention in the coming days and weeks for signs of healthy development, including regular feedings delivered by one or both parents and the gradual transition from down to juvenile feathers.
The successful hatching of two eaglets is a moment of local celebration and a reminder of ongoing community efforts to observe and protect wildlife in the San Bernardino Mountains. Friends of Big Bear Valley continues to provide updates and access to the nest camera for those who wish to watch the chicks grow, with further progress expected to be shared as the nesting season advances.