You’re sitting there, coffee in hand, staring at a giant stick nest perched 145 feet up in a Jeffrey Pine. Nothing is happening. Then, a massive shadow flickers across the screen, and suddenly, Jackie lands with a branch so big it looks like she’s trying to renovate a mansion.
This is the Big Bear eagle cam live 2025 experience. It’s addictive. It’s unpredictable. Honestly, it’s better than most scripted TV.
If you’ve been following the Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) livestream lately, you know we’re right in the thick of the "nestoration" phase. Jackie and Shadow, the local celebrity bald eagle pair, are currently turning their home into a fortress. But there’s a lot more going on this season than just moving sticks around.
From health scares to surprise visitors, here is what’s actually happening in the nest as we head into the peak of the 2025-2026 season.
The Drama of the "Nestoration" (It's Serious Work)
People think eagles just throw a few twigs together and call it a day. Nope. Watching the Big Bear eagle cam live 2025 feed over the last few weeks has shown just how picky these birds are.
Jackie is the boss. Period. She’s significantly larger than Shadow, and she has very specific ideas about where "furniture" should go. On January 12, 2026, she brought in a massive, complex branch that looked more like a small tree. Shadow, being the supportive partner he is, basically stayed out of the way while she whittled and snapped branches to fit her vision.
They’ve been focusing on two main things:
- The Guardrails: They are building up the sides of the nest with "quirky" sticks to keep future eggs (and eventually eaglets) safe.
- The Egg Bowl: This is the center of the nest. Jackie has been "pancaking"—laying flat and wiggling her body—to test the depth and softness of the bowl.
Shadow has been helping, too. He’s been bringing in pine needle fluff to soften the landing. It’s actually kinda sweet to watch them work together, though Shadow did get in trouble recently for trying to nibble on Jackie’s feathers while she was trying to work.
That Scary Eye Moment: What Really Happened?
If you were watching on January 9, 2026, you probably had a minor heart attack. Viewers noticed Jackie was favoring her left eye, keeping it squinted or completely shut.
The chat went wild. People were worried about a serious injury or an infection. But Sandy Steers and the FOBBV team kept everyone calm. It turns out, being an eagle is messy work. While she was aerating the nest (digging around in the dirt and sticks), she likely got a bit of debris or a "stick poke" in her eye.
The good news? By the next morning, January 10, her eye was wide open and looked perfectly clear.
Eagles actually have three eyelids. One of them, the nictitating membrane, is translucent and moves horizontally. Sometimes when they close just that one lid, it can look like an injury to the human eye, but it's actually a built-in pair of safety goggles. Jackie is just fine.
Wait, Were Those the Kids?
One of the coolest things to happen recently on the Big Bear eagle cam live 2025 stream was the appearance of two juvenile eagles.
Back in late December 2025, two "juvvies" were spotted hanging around the nest tree. Now, remember, Jackie and Shadow successfully fledged two chicks last year—Sunny and Gizmo. It was a massive deal because raising two healthy eagles to flight is exhausting work for the parents.
When these two juveniles showed up, Jackie and Shadow didn't immediately go into "attack mode." They watched them carefully and called out, but they weren't overly aggressive. This led to a lot of speculation: could it be Sunny and Gizmo coming home for a "holiday visit"?
We can't know for sure without GPS trackers (which they don't have), but the behavior was definitely unusual. Normally, adult eagles are pretty territorial. Seeing them tolerate young ones nearby suggests a level of familiarity that has the whole community talking.
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When Should We Expect Eggs?
This is the big question. Everyone wants to know when the "labor" begins.
Looking at the history of this nest, Jackie usually lays her first egg in early to mid-January.
- 2024 Season: Eggs arrived around January 25th.
- 2025 Season: Eggs were laid on January 11th, 14th, and 17th.
As of right now, in mid-January 2026, the behavior is shifting. On January 14, 2026, viewers saw Jackie and Shadow mating. This is the clearest sign that we are only days or perhaps a couple of weeks away from seeing that first white egg in the bowl.
Jackie has been spending more time "testing" the nest bowl and sitting for longer periods. She’s getting into the zone.
Why This Cam is Different From Others
There are plenty of eagle cams out there, but Big Bear is special for a few reasons.
First, the altitude. At nearly 7,000 feet, these birds deal with intense snowstorms and high winds. Seeing them hunkered down under a blanket of snow, completely unbothered, is a masterclass in resilience.
Second, the personalities. Shadow is a "try-hard." He brings in sticks that are clearly too small or weirdly shaped, and Jackie just stares at him until he moves them. He also tries to "ninja" his way onto the eggs during incubation, sometimes literally nudging Jackie out of the way so he can have a turn.
Quick Facts to Keep You Informed:
- Jackie's Hatch Year: Estimated 2012.
- Shadow's Hatch Year: Estimated 2014.
- Camera Location: San Bernardino National Forest (the exact location is hidden for their safety).
- Diet: Mostly fish from Big Bear Lake, but they aren't above snagging a coot or a squirrel.
A Note on "Eagle Truth"
Social media is great, but it’s also a breeding ground for rumors. There are "monetized" Facebook pages out there that aren't affiliated with the actual biologists at Friends of Big Bear Valley.
If you see a post saying Jackie is blind or the nest has been abandoned, take a breath. Always check the official FOBBV "Daily Recap" or the live chat moderators. These people are there 24/7 and have the most accurate data.
Nature is raw. Sometimes things don't go well—eggs don't hatch, or ravens interfere. But that's the beauty of the Big Bear eagle cam live 2025. It’s real. It’s not a Disney movie, and that’s why we can't stop watching.
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How to Stay Updated Without Losing Your Mind
If you want to keep up with the nest without staring at a screen for 12 hours a day, here’s the best way to do it:
- Check the "Morning Report": The FOBBV website usually posts a summary of the previous night’s activities.
- Watch for "Pancaking": If you see Jackie sitting low in the bowl for hours, an egg is likely imminent.
- Look at the Crops: If the eagles have a big bulge in their chests (the crop), they’ve eaten well. It’s a good sign of a healthy territory.
- Support the Project: The cameras, the solar power, and the streaming bandwidth aren't free. If you enjoy the view, consider a small donation to the nonprofit that keeps it running.
The next few weeks are going to be huge. Keep your eyes on the nest bowl—history is about to happen again.