How two Big Bear eagles became social media's hottest love story

"When Big Bear's celebrity bald eagle couple's eggs were eaten by ravens in late January, they didn't grieve alone. Thousands had watched Jackie and Shadow on livestream, as they meticulously arranged sticks in their nest high in a Jeffrey pine and nibbled each other's feathers in preparation for laying. All seemed just dandy until both eagles left their nest unattended, and ravens swooped in."

"The story of how two eagles just doing eagle things became an internet sensation goes back nearly 20 years, when postcard-perfect Big Bear had no year-round eagles. The white-headed raptors would show up in winter to feast on fish when their lakes farther north froze over. Some built 'practice nests' in the area as a bonding ritual, but they all headed home eventually."

"Then, in 2009, a tagged male from Catalina stuck around for the summer. Soon a pair formed. They constructed a nest on the north side of the lake, laying down a foundation for a lineage that endures today. That first pair - called Ricky and Lucy by the U.S. Forest Service - hatched Jackie in 2012."

Big Bear Valley's bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow gained widespread internet fame through a livestream camera operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. Thousands of viewers watched the eagles prepare their nest and bond before ravens destroyed their eggs in late January. The tragedy was compounded by the death of Sandy Steers, the nonprofit's executive director, who died from cancer. The combined losses generated over 12,000 Facebook comments from devoted fans. The eagle story began nearly two decades ago when Big Bear had no year-round eagles. In 2009, a tagged male from Catalina remained through summer, eventually forming a pair that built a nest and established a lineage. The first pair, Ricky and Lucy, hatched Jackie in 2012. The nonprofit installed its first nest camera in 2015.

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