• The third egg of a popular bald eagle couple in Big Bear, California, named Jackie and Shadow, has begun to hatch.
• Friends of the Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit organization, has been providing updates on the hatching process through their social media and live-feed nest camera.
• The hatching of the third egg has generated excitement among fans of the eagle family, who have been closely following their journey.

The sight of Jackie and Shadow’s two baby eaglets playing while a third egg begins to hatch has sent fans of the Big Bear bird family into an emotional frenzy. 

The nonprofit Friends of the Big Bear Valley took to Facebook on Thursday to report the 10:21 a.m. first “Pip movement” of the egg, which was captured on the Big Bear Bald Eagle Live-Feed Nest Cam.

That afternoon, the eagle couple fed fish to their two eaglets while snow continues to fall on the eagle family and nest that sits atop a 14-story Jeffrey pine tree near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Sandy Steers, executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, reported that on Wednesday, Jan. 22, Jackie laid her first egg of the 2025 season. Her second egg was laid on Jan. 25 and her third on Jan. 28. 

The first eaglet hatched late Monday night on March 3, followed by a second hatching early morning Tuesday, March 4, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley.

“Seeing the first two babies playing in that nest was so adorable,” Victorville resident Rachel Lemon told the Daily Press. “When I saw the third egg starting to hatch I started crying.”

The nonprofit said because of snowy weather, Jackie and Shadow may hunker down for the whole day and skip the feedings, despite having plenty of food in the nest.

“Protecting the chicks from the elements is very important,” the nonprofit stated. “They ate very well and had very full crops yesterday, so they should be fine for a few days on the contents of their crops.”

Hatching is a long process. It may take a day or more for the third chick to fully emerge from its shell, the nonprofit stated.

“We are expecting sunny weather tomorrow,” the nonprofit said. “Just in time for the new Chick 3!”

Several people on social media shared that seeing two seemingly healthy eaglets and a third trying to hatch is great news compared to Jackie and Shadow’s previous failed hatchlings.

“It will be amazing to see Jackie and Shadow and three healthy babies all in one nest,” said Rita Raymond of Barstow. “I can’t wait for that to happen.”

Raymond confessed that she views the nonprofit’s eagle cam at least 50 times a day.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz