Bald Eaglets Hatch in Big Bear Valley

Imagine you are an eaglet hatching in Big Bear Valley. The first things you see are two massive eagles, tall trees, flowing rivers, and a gigantic camera behind you.

Jackie and Shadow, a beloved bald eagle couple, welcomed two chicks on Easter Weekend this year. This marked a bright milestone after a difficult beginning to the nesting season for the pair.

The year began with Jackie laying two eggs in early January. The pair took turns incubating them, but ravens attacked the nest and destroyed both eggs in early February.

Jackie and Shadow continued attempting to nest even after this setback. Jackie soon laid another pair of eggs. The couple was more vigilant and careful with the eggs this time. They alternated roles, one guarding the eggs, while another hunted or protected the nest.

The first signs of hatching showed up in early April, when tiny cracks (pips) began appearing in the shells of the eggs. The first chick hatched late at night on April 4th, 2026. The second emerged the very next morning, on April 5th. The two newborns are doing quite well, as Jackie stays at the nest to keep them warm, while Shadow leaves to hunt. The eaglet’s first flight will take place in around ten to twelve weeks, and they will remain around the nest for a portion of time afterwards.

On April 15th, 2026, the Friends of Big Bear Valley—a nonprofit organisation funding the observation of the eagles—announced a naming contest for the eaglets. Open to April 26th, 2026, it serves as an opportunity for the public to suggest names for the chicks. Every submission required a donation to help fund conservation research and monitoring fees. At the end of the contest, they narrowed down the list to 20 options, then ask the local third graders to pick.

The names of the chicks were chosen as Sandy (for the first chick) and Luna (for the second).

Jackie and Shadow’s story began with Ricky and Lucy, the first bald eagle residents of the Big Bear Valley. Ricky and Lucy had one chick, named Jackie, that left almost immediately after its first flight. A few years later, another bald eagle, that the locals speculated was Jackie, returned. She mated with an eagle named Big B, but then another male, whom the locals named Shadow, arrived. He refused to leave, until Big B eventually left. Shadow and Jackie have been inseparable since.