After losing three eggs laid in January, Big Bear’s resident pair of nesting bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, welcomed their fourth on Monday afternoon.
Mother eagle Jackie delivered the egg, captured live on the 24/7 “Eagle Cam” operated by the Friends of Big Bear Valley, shortly after 2:40 p.m.
“Shadow was by her side for much of the beautiful event,” the group posted on its Facebook page. “Jackie looks good and is now resting.”
More than 6,000 people have liked live video feed since the egg was laid, with thousands tuning in daily to watch the avian parents sitting on the nest.
Monday’s delivery marked the first good news following a string of disappointing attempts in January for the mating couple.
Two of last month’s eggs laid by Jackie were lost after they were attacked by ravens, and a third egg was broken during the laying process.
But the couple couldn’t take a “no” for an answer and continued to work on building a nest, even after it filled with snow when a winter storm pummeled Southern California in late January.
On Monday, much of that snow was gone from the pair’s nest perched up on a Jeffrey Pine tree with views of Big Bear Lake.
Last year, Jackie laid two eggs, one on Jan. 8 and the other 11. Neither ended up hatching.
The U.S. Forest Service, which shared the video of Monday’s successful delivery on its San Bernardino National Forest Facebook page, said the agency is “hoping to see another egg in about three days, and then chicks around March 18.”
The agency closes off the area around the nest — which is located on the northwest side of Big Bear Lake — each year to help protect the raptor couple and any eggs and potential hatchlings.
