Bald eagle lays first egg of season, California video shows. ‘Absolutely amazing’
After visiting her Big Bear nest 12 times in one day, Jackie, a bald eagle, sat for about 15 minutes before she “stood up and started puffing her feathers out,” a California nonprofit said.
This was a sure sign she was about to lay her egg, according to a Jan. 11 Facebook post from the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley.
For about six minutes, Jackie labored, making her “tea kettle whistles,” according to the nonprofit.
“And then there was a beautiful egg,” the nonprofit said.
The nonprofit was able to capture a video of Jackie’s labor with their Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest Cam. The video, shared on the group’s Facebook page and YouTube page, shows Jackie carefully checking on her egg after it is laid.
“She rolled it a couple times before sitting, but she sat down only 6 or 7 minutes after laying it,” the nonprofit wrote. “In past years, she usually stood for a much longer time before tucking in on the egg.”
Facebook users chimed in to share their awe of the video.
“Absolutely amazing,” one Facebook user commented. “Congratulations and praying this egg will hatch a beautiful new eagle.”
“I was lucky enough to watch this live as it happened, and it was amazing,” another user commented.
Other users expressed concern about Jackie leaving the egg alone for an extended period of time.
“Bald eagles practice delayed incubation,” the nonprofit responded, “which helps chicks hatch closer together and allows the younger chicks a better chance of survival. You may see Jackie hovering over the egg for extended periods of time, or maybe even sitting in another tree nearby.”
After the “complete clutch is laid,” Jackie or the father, Shadow, will be “on the eggs full time,” the nonprofit said.
It will take 38 to 43 days for eggs to hatch, according to the nonprofit.
This is not the first time the couple has welcomed an egg, according to the nonprofit.
Jackie laid eggs in 2020 that “failed to hatch” and were not viable, the nonprofit said. The couple’s eggs were eaten by ravens or broken the next January.
However, Jackie laid a second clutch of eggs in February, the nonprofit said. Though one of the eggs began to hatch and chirping was heard, this “eaglet did not survive the hatching process.” The pair tried to incubate a second egg, but that “chick had never fully developed.”
“Though the loss of the eggs seemed to impact Jackie and Shadow, they recovered over the next few days and continued to visit the nest,” the nonprofit said.
In 2022, Jackie laid two eggs, with one hatching, Spirit, and a second failing to hatch, the nonprofit said.
“Spirit was not banded so the gender was a mystery. Over time and with a few indicators, such as ankle thickness, overall size, and vocal pitch, FOBBV believes Spirit is a female,” the nonprofit said.
She fledged successfully in May, the nonprofit said.
After laying her first egg of the 2023 season, the nonprofit said, “Jackie is now in full mama mode, caring for and protecting her new egg.”
Friends of Big Bear Valley works “to protect and preserve the natural habitat of Big Bear Valley through education, monitoring and advocacy,” according to its Facebook page.
A live feed of the Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest Cam can be found here.
Big Bear Valley is in San Bernardino National Forest in southern California.
This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Bald eagle lays first egg of season, California video shows. ‘Absolutely amazing’."
