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Jackie and Shadow working on their "nestorations," as Friends of Big Bear Valley calls it, by bringing new sticks to the top of their Jeffrey pine tree Saturday.With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever.
Help keep the LAist newsroom strong,Jackie and Shadow are two beloved bald eagles who live in Big Bear, a ski town a couple hours northeast of L.A. They went viral in 2024, as people tuned in to a livestream of their nest to see if their eggs would hatch. Fans around the world became deeply attached to the lovebirds, obsessing over the couple’s devotion to each other and their eggs. For Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido, the story became personal when she also began her parenthood journey. Antonia explores how our relationship to wildlife can help us better understand ourselves. CONTENT ADVISORY: This episode includes details about pregnancy complications. Fall in Southern California can bring on warm feelings about holidays, pumpkin spice or — for fans of Big Bear’s famous bald eagles — nesting season. Jackie and Shadow, the feathered couple that star in a popular YouTube livestream focused on their nest overlooking Big Bear Lake, are preparing to potentially welcome new eggs —Sandy Steers, executive director of the organization, encouraged eager viewers not to have expectations from nature — Jackie and Shadow know when the time is right, she said.Fast internet will soon arrive in parts of L.A. County for $25 a month. Here’s how to sign upLA County proposes major cuts to homeless services for next year. What we know so far The spending plan would gut prevention, outreach and supportive services to maintain temporary shelter beds and absorb rate increases previously covered by other funding sources.The nest is a bit of a mess lately, Steers said, but the bald eagle duo has been fixing it up to mark the beginning of nesting season. Jackie and Shadow have been bringing in fresh sticks to furnish the nest, which is about 5.5 feet wide and 6 feet deep toward the top of a Jeffrey pine tree. Friends of Big Bear Valley The eagles even broke their daily stick record last Saturday, stopping by with at least 28 sticks , according to The previous single-day record was 25. There may have been more last Saturday, but eagle watchers aren't sure because the livestream cameras, which are usually on around the clock, were on for only about four hours.run off a 24-volt solar system that recharges during the day, but recent stretches of heavy cloud cover and snowy solar panels have caused issues and intermittent outages. “The batteries got completely run down,” Steers said. “So as soon as they would click back on, it wouldn't take very long before they ran down again.” Friends of Big Bear Valley has been taking both cameras offline overnight to conserve power, but the organization is hopeful a few sunny days in the forecast will get the batteries, and livestreams, back up and running again normally.Jackie and Shadow are expected to continue to bring sticks throughout nesting season before they start"flirting" with each other, as Steers calls it.“They start … getting more interested in each other and bumping into each other in the nest,” she said. “Jackie is usually the one to flirt the most, and Shadow says, ‘I don't know if I'm ready for that yet.’” The duo typically starts mating toward the end of the year on perch trees near the nest and away from the cameras .Jackie will start to show certain behaviors when an egg is incoming, including lingering on the nest longer, Steers said. She will have contractions before laying the first egg and potentially one or two more in the days after.Jackie and Shadow's three chicks on March 7, 2025. One of the chicks later died, while Sunny and Gizmo successfully fledged a few months later.Each season is a bit different for Big Bear’s bald eagles, and Steers said there aren’t standard markers people can depend on for hints at the egg-laying timeline.But Steers said she wouldn’t be surprised if eggs arrive a bit later than usual this upcoming season, partly because of the weather. It was unseasonably hot in Big Bear Valley this fall compared to previous years, and Jackie and Shadow usually respond to cooler winter weather before they get serious about nesting season, according to the organization. “I'm sure it was a lot more work than with just one,” Steers said. “So I think that had something to do with them needing a longer break.”If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else.Sci-fi designer's dream
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