Big Bear Valley’s beloved bald eagles Jackie and Shadow may soon welcome a third chick, much to the delight of the thousands who have been following the pair’s nesting season this year.

It’s been three years since one of Jackie’s offspring, Spirit, survived and soared away from the nest that overlooks Big Bear Lake.

Neither of Jackie’s clutches in 2023 or 2024, including her first three-egg clutch in 2024, hatched.

Things are looking up this year, however.

At 10:21 a.m. Thursday, March 6, the nonprofit that operates a web cam livestreaming the nest to the world announced that it had spotted a pip, or crack made during the hatching process, in the third of three eggs in the nest. The first two eggs emerged within hours of one another on Monday and Tuesday.

“We are under snowy weather today,” Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote on a social media post showing the eagle family in its snow-surrounded nest. “Jackie and Shadow may hunker down for the whole day and skip the feedings, even though there is plenty of food on the nest. Protecting the chicks from the elements is very important.”

The nonprofit encouraged watchers of the web cam and its followers on social media to be patient with the third egg. It can take a day or two after the first pip before a chick fully emerges from its shell.

Fans of the eagle family were thrilled by the possibility of three chicks in the nest.

“Waited for three years and now they may have 3!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE! Egg-cited!” one commenter wrote.

“Honestly, the amount of love and joy I feel for this eagle family is bursting from the seams,” another wrote. “My entire family is completely invested! Prayers for this beautiful little family!”

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