Big Bear eagles: Jackie and Shadow's trio of eggs unlikely to hatch
BIG BEAR, Calif. - The trio of eggs from popular Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow may not hatch, unfortunately.
According to ‘Friends of Big Bear Valley’, as of March 11 there were no confirmed pips in any of the eggs. The first of three eggs was supposed to hatch February 29. Nearly two weeks later, none of the eggs have hatched.
Sandy Steers, Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, says it's probably unlikely for them to hatch at this point, but "miracles do happen."
"It is not a matter of ‘giving up’, it is simply a matter of taking what is in front of us and moving forward…just the way Jackie and Shadow do. With the nest camera, we are all simply observers of their everyday journey. We can feel sad that things do not seem to be working out the way we had hoped or for the dissolving of expectations we had for what was to come," Steers wrote online.
Eagles Jackie and Shadow protecting trio of eggs
Big Bear's famous eagles Jackie and Shadow are protecting a trio of eggs, which could hatch as soon as Thursday. Their nest is streamed live via Friends of Big Bear Valley. Three people monitor the eagles and write detailed highlights. Sandy Steers joined FOX 11 to talk about the popular eagles and their life. (February 28, 2024)
There is no indication what caused the eggs not to hatch, but Steers believes it may be environmental, such as temperatures, humidity percentages, and oxygen levels at high altitude. It could also be biological.
Both Jackie and Shadow protect the nest and take turns watching over the eggs. Jackie and Shadow had two sets of chicks together in 2019 and 2022.
Jackie is 12-years-old and Shadow is 10-years-old.