Big Bear Lake's Bald Eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, are expecting once again!
Jackie laid her first egg of 2026 on Friday. Jenny Voisard, the website manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley, told KNX News that Jackie’s latest egg arrived almost exactly a year after last year's nesting season began.
“Last year she laid her first egg on the 22nd of January, so this year she was one day later,” she said. “She's pretty close to where she was last year.”
Voisard also said there is every indication that more eggs could be laid this week.
“She was seen rousing her feathers a bit yesterday, which is something she'll do where she puffs up her feathers,” she said. “So that and the fact that they've been doing delayed incubation leads us to believe that we should see some more eggs and hopefully today, and then potentially one on Thursday if she were to lay a three-egg.”
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
Shadow has been close by, bringing an occasional fish to the nest for a meal for Jackie, and he may begin sitting on whatever eggs are laid as part of the shared duties of warming.
Last year, the couple had three hatchlings; however, one died from the effects of a winter storm. The two others, named Sunny and Gizmo, survived and took flight last spring and are on their own.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok