Big Bear eagle couple Jackie and Shadow welcomed a new egg after the first clutch was damaged
An egg-citing plot has emerged in what has already been an eventful season for Big Bear’s celebrity eagle couple.
Jackie laid an egg on Tuesday afternoon, giving new hope for babies this year after the previous few were eaten by crows.
Before the egg arrived, shortly after 2:30 p.m., Jackie spent a lot of time in the nest and “eating cookies” for a long time, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit organization that uses a camera trained on the nest.
Pancaking is when a female eagle lays down on the nest tray to inspect and shape – and can signal that eggs are nearby.
As he eats the petals, his wings begin to spread, revealing the top of his white tail. His eyes looked sleepy.
“These are the first signs that you may be ovulating,” Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote in a Facebook post.
As the labors continued, she entered the throes; he let out a snort and flicked his tail.
“She ruffled her feathers and before long, whistles came from the tea kettle,” the nonprofit wrote in the post. A close-up of the recap video shows her body tense as she pushes the egg.
It was a moment of triumph for eagles fans who have faced tragedy in recent weeks. The nonprofit’s post announcing the new egg garnered 62,000 likes.
After meeting and mating, the couple received their first egg of the season in Jan. 23. Three days later, the second one came.
But after a few days the eagle couple left the nest unattended. When they came out, crows came to eat the eggs.
Not long after, a key figure in Eagle’s public relations, Sandy Steers, passed away after a private battle with cancer. Steers, 73, was the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley.
For a long time the Steers had been fighting the gated estates that were set up less than a kilometer from the eagle’s nest. Shortly after his death, the non-profit organization announced an effort to raise $10 million to purchase the land.
Ever since the eagle’s eggs were destroyed, fans have been watching with hope and fear to see if more will come.
Eagles were gathering and mating – all good signs – but nothing guaranteed.
“I’m jumping for joy,” said one Facebook commenter after the news broke. He said he would lobby for the eagle to be named Sandy, after the late director, if the name has not yet been used.
Jackie and Shadow’s new clutch may not be perfect. Jackie usually lays two to three eggs per clutch, usually three days apart. So Eagles fans will be watching closely on Friday.
Meanwhile, the couple is dealing with the latest addition to the nest. After Jackie laid the egg, Shadow arrived with a coat – a waterfowl. Although she ate, Jackie did not share.
Finally Jackie stood up, revealed the egg, and Shadow took a gander.
“He must have thought at the time, Oh hey, he laid an egg and I ate his dinner!” non-profit organization wrote in his humorous style.
The shadow left and returned later carrying soft materials – such as pine needles, moss or grass – to keep the egg warm and safe. After sitting for a while, she went out to sleep and Jackie closed her eyes.
