"I've been watching long enough to know that things will happen and we just have to accept what nature brings," said Sandy Steers, biologist and longtime executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. "But I'm optimistic and excitedly anticipate whatever adventure we get to go on this year."
Friends of Big Bear Valley has run bald eagle webcams since 2015. Several feathered characters have come and gone, but Jackie and Shadow, who paired up in 2018, are by far the most popular. Webcam viewership hit an all-time high last March, when around 32,000 people tuned in at once in hopes of watching Jackie's eggs hatch, Steers said.
"Jackie is very strong and independent and wants her way with everything," Steers said. Shadow will often let Jackie get her way, but also has a mischievous steak and will not hesitate to pull her tail feathers when she's not looking. Fortunately, Jackie is charmed by Shadow's cheekiness, and his teasing often leads to "beaky kissing sessions," she said.
Bald eagles are one of the rare creatures that mate for life, only finding a new partner if their previous one dies.
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