With their clutch complete, Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle pair are settling over their nest to begin the incubation process for three eggs that have captured the adoration of hundreds of thousands of fans across the world.
Jackie, the female, delivered her third and what appears to be final egg of 2025 on Jan. 28, three days after the second and six days after the first. It’s the second consecutive year Jackie and her mate, Shadow, have welcomed a three-egg clutch.
In a social media post Monday, Feb. 4, Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates two web cams trained on the eagle pair’s nest above Big Bear Lake, announced that “pip watch” — looking for signs of a chick hatching — begins March 1.
“Once the clutch is complete, Jackie and Shadow usually start incubating full time,” the organization wrote. “Their high body temperature of 105F allows them to keep their eggs toasty warm, at the incubation temperature of about 98F. The difference between internal body temperature and incubation temperature allows for some heat loss while incubating in colder climates.”
According to the organization, Jackie’s eggs have historically hatched 38 to 39 days after arrival.
“But with 3 eggs it could be a bit longer,” the organization said.
Followers of the eagles cheered the news Monday, many hoping for a safe incubation and hatching this year. It’s been nearly three years since one of Jackie’s offspring, Spirit, survived and hatched.