Devoted fans of beloved bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow are grieving after their recently laid eggs were destroyed by ravens, though there’s still hope that another clutch will come.
Just before noon on Friday, Shadow left their Big Bear nest with its two eggs, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit that monitors the eagles with 24-hour livestreams.
Typically, the eagles would take shifts on egg duty. But Jackie was out, too.
That afternoon, ravens flew into the unattended nest and ate the eggs.
Less than 10 minutes later, Jackie returned and began incubating, or sitting on, one of the breached eggs “because her hormones are telling her to incubate.” said Jenny Voisard, media and website manager for the nonprofit.
It’s not clear why the doting parents were both absent, “but we are sure they had their reasons as they have been incubating the eggs faithfully,” the nonprofit wrote in its “Eagle Log.”
There are some possible explanations, according to Voisard.
While Jackie and Shadow were out, eagle observers noticed there was a crack in one of the eggs, and they may have left because they knew one of the eggs may not be viable.
There have also been more than the usual number of bald eagles in the area — at least three juveniles and one sub-adult — and they could have been off protecting their nest.
The intruding ravens were tentative for a while — expecting the eagles to return, according to Voisard.
Over time, they became emboldened, and at least one pierced both eggs.
For ravens, the eggs provide a nutritious meal, packed with calcium and albumen.
“Nature isn’t meaning to be cruel. Nature just is,” Voisard said. “And we just watch to understand so that we can help take care of it and coexist.”
Still, she acknowledged that the loss of the eggs has devastated Jackie and Shadow’s legions of followers as well her colleagues within the nonprofit. There have been a lot of tears.
Jackie and Shadow paired up in 2018, and have since experienced ample tragedy and joy in the nest.
Late last January, Jackie laid a rare third egg, and all three hatched.
But not long after, a fierce storm rolled through the area. It claimed the life of one of the eaglets, named Misty.
The remaining siblings — sisters Gizmo and Sunny — survived, and successfully fledged.
They “show us how to move forward,” Voisard said. “They’re very resilient. Things happen to all of us in life, and so I think the way that Jackie and Shadow are able to just keep moving on and living life no matter what happens is inspiring to people.”
Jackie could still lay more eggs this season.
Before that happens, her body needs to reset. And there are signs that’s beginning to happen.
Just yesterday, they began “withdrawing,” Voisard said. Jackie didn’t sleep in the nest or sit on the broken eggs.
Producing another clutch will require them to start from square one. They need to resume bonding, working on the nest together and mating. If this takes place, there could be new eggs in less than a month.
Jackie’s laid a second clutch before, in 2021. That January, ravens also destroyed two of her eggs. In February, she laid two more (though neither hatched successfully).
For now, the couple seems to be processing the recent loss, Voisart said.
Last night, they visited the nest perched high up in a Jeffrey pine tree and chortled together, “which was good to see,” she said. “It’s just their way of moving on.”
