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Bald eagles Jackie and Shadow lay first egg of season in Big Bear nest

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Good news comes from Big Bear's most-watched eagle's nest, as Jackie laid her first egg of the season Wednesday night. 

The triumph was captured on the Friends of Big Bear Valley live cam, where the nest life of Jackie and Shadow unfolds for all to watch. 

"The egg and Jackie are both fine. Congratulations to her for an efficient, smooth delivery!" Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote.   

The recorded nest is in the San Bernardino National Forest, and it is said to be the first-ever active bald eagle nest in the Big Bear Valley. 

The permitted nest camera went up in 2013, funded and installed by Friends of Big Bear Valley. The original bald eagle residents tracked by the camera left, but a new pair of eagles moved in. 

Current residents Jackie and Shadow successfully raised chicks in 2019 and in 2022. Jackie and a different partner raised a chick in the nest in 2018.

It was a heartbreaking season last January, as Jackie laid three eggs, and none of them hatched. It generally takes 35 days for eggs to hatch.

Friends of Big Bear Valley shared news of Shadow's first look at the egg Thursday morning, as Jackie took a break. The group said Jackie would likely remain on the egg overnight as Shadow roosts in a nearby tree. 

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Jackie and Shadow tend to their first egg of the season. The Friends of Big Bear Valley live cam shares their adventure. Friends of Big Bear Valley

"He stared at it a bit, like he couldn't really believe that it was here already," Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote on Facebook   

"Jackie returned after a much-needed break and Shadow brought a nice piece of breakfast fish in for Jackie which she thoroughly enjoyed! Shadow did some housekeeping & cared for the egg some of this morning. They will continue to do these switcheroo shifts up until and even after the egg(s) are hatched." 

The group said the pair will not incubate the first egg, or eggs full-time until the final egg of the clutch is laid.  

"If another egg is on the way it will likely arrive three days after the first, or Jan 25. But anything is possible. Please be patient as we observe this amazing process." 

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