Several nature preserves across the country have Eagle Cams mounted so that people can observe nesting behaviors. The Friends of Big Bear Valley have a camera focused on the nest of mated eagles, Jackie and Shadow. The pair recently hatched three eaglets, and the second bald eagle chick hatching was caught live.
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In the video, you can see the first hatchling moving around tentatively, its fluff almost dry. The second hatchling is still nestled in the egg, and its wet down is visible through the broken shell. The third egg hasn’t cracked yet, but that will happen soon.
A public Jackie and Shadow fan page on Instagram chronicles the eagle family, so you can follow what the eagles are up to. The page admin captions images and videos to explain how to tell Jackie and Shadow apart and other lesser-known details. The explanations are great if you watch the trail cams with your children. You can also follow the trail cam footage on YouTube.
Jackie and Shadow first mated in 2019. The website tracks each clutch of eggs, hatching success, and whether the fledglings have been banded. Observing the nesting eagles’ behavior is integral to learning and understanding more about these majestic birds. Monitoring promotes the growth of the species to keep them from becoming extinct.
The nest camera allows us to watch as each bald eagle chick hatches. The constant feed shows the mated pair’s interaction and how they co-parent the hatchlings. Raising the eaglets is a two-parent task, and the pair gladly shares duties and responsibilities.
Bald Eagle Chicks Arrive With Gusto
The arrival of these bald eagle chicks has been in the works for three years. The pair’s last viable hatchling was their chick Spirit, who pipped exactly three years before hatchling #1 in this clutch. Spirit fledged (left the nest) on May 31, 2022. Pipping is when a baby bird cracks the shell’s membrane and breathes air for the first time. From pipping to final hatching can take as long as 24 hours.
Follow the Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam on Facebook to continue watching as the bald eagle chicks grow. Although it may seem like watching grass grow at times, you will also experience the thrill of watching the chicks grow.
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