Bird fanatics watched in awe through a strategically placed live webcam as the eagle hatched in a nest 145 feet in the air. The chick's hatch has been highly anticipated since the egg was laid in January, as neither egg from the previous year survived.
Bald eagle mates Jackie and Shadow have incubated nine eggs over the past three years, but only one eaglet lived, the organization operating the live camera, Friends of Big Bear Valley, reported.
The eagles are located within the San Bernardino National Forest in an area that is closed to the public to avoid disturbances. At 7,000 feet in elevation, this is the highest known bald eagle nest, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
A second egg was also laid three days after the first and is expected to hatch any day now. "Due to delayed incubation, the first egg usually hatches around 38 to 39 days, the second egg hatches 1 to 2 days after the first," Friends of Big Bear Valley explained.
Awaiting the hatch of its sibling, the eaglet has stayed nuzzled in mom Jackie's feathers to avoid the cold.
