Bald eagle Jackie and Shadow close to first 'pip' of 2026

A Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream shows one of Jackie and Shadow’s eggs cracking and nest chirps on April 2, indicating a chick may begin hatching; a second egg is expected to hatch soon.

One of Jackie and Shadow’s eggs is beginning to hatch, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream. The nonprofit reported chirping from the nest on April 2 and posted footage on April 3 showing a crack in the egg. The chick has not fully emerged, and hatching can take an additional 24 to 48 hours. Jackie and Shadow are a well-known bald eagle pair whose nest cam has drawn viewers since the 2017–2018 season. Known details: - A live feed monitored by Friends of Big Bear Valley captured chirping from the nest on April 2 and showed a crack in one egg in footage posted April 3. - The nonprofit reported the sounds as possible signs that a chick could break the internal membrane and take its first breath. - The chick has not yet completely exited the shell; hatching can require another 24 to 48 hours. - Jackie and Shadow have a second egg in the nest that has not hatched but is expected any day. - The pair lost an earlier clutch in January after ravens breached the nest and laid the current eggs on Feb. 24 and Feb. 27. - The couple first became widely known through their 24-hour livestream and have raised eaglets in prior seasons, including a chick in 2022 and two in 2025. Summary: A hatch at this nest would add a new eaglet after the pair’s earlier loss in January and continue a season being watched on the Big Bear livestream. Undetermined at this time.