Bald eagle Jackie’s livestream is turned into weather apocalypse film as expecting mom braves California’s tropical storm-force winds, relentless rain and heavy snow shielding three small eggs
Jackie, a bald eagle, shakes the powder from her feathers as she nests in a snow pile overlooking a California valley.
Invisible to the eye, there is a cozy nest underneath, kept warm by her body heat.
Jackie has been protecting her three eggs from the elements since a powerful atmospheric river hit the region last week.
And unbeknownst to her, thousands of people are watching at any given moment.
The 24-hour Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam was installed in 2015 and has been streaming to a global audience ever since. It is sponsored by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit conservation and advocacy organization.
Jackie, a 12-year-old bald eagle, was closely monitoring her nest with her buddy Shadow when a powerful atmospheric storm devastated California last week.
The eagles live in a pine tree in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles
Jackie laid two eggs about two weeks ago, followed by a third just before the storm hit
As deadly storms ravaged California last week, 12-year-old Jackie and her buddy Shadow braved the cold in the eye of the camera.
The couple lives high in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles.
According to Friends of Big Bear Valley, their nest has been actively used since the fall of 2013.
The surrounding area, entirely national forest land, is closed to the public during nesting season because bald eagles are known to abandon their nests when disturbed by humans.
Historically, the birds wintered only in Big Bear Valley to find foods such as fish and waterfowl that were not available in the frozen lakes further north. The couple recently obtained permanent residency.
About two weeks ago, Jackie laid two eggs. Just before the first storm hit, she delivered a third.
Once the snow fell, she hunkered down and didn’t take a break until the next afternoon when the precipitation stopped. That’s when Shadow intervened.
Jackie and Shadow recently established their permanent residence in the valley. Birds historically wintered there only to find food sources unavailable in the lakes further north
Once the snow fell, Jackie hunkered down and didn’t take a break until the next afternoon when the precipitation stopped
The pair took turns sitting on the eggs, as is common with bald eagles
Both males and females develop a featherless spot called a brood patch during nesting, which allows them to keep the eggs close to their bodies.
“This was the first time Shadow saw three eggs in the nest,” wrote Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of the organization.
“He kept looking back and forth at them as he stretched his legs around them…but his legs wouldn’t go around them when they were standing side by side.
“It worked the day before… why didn’t it work now?” When he realized something was definitely different – or perhaps after he counted them – he rolled the eggs closer together and went over them.”
The scene was peaceful for a moment. The nest provided a beautiful vantage point of the thawing lake below, the ground covered in white powder.
Then the wind came. As tropical storm storms shook the nest, Shadow looked shocked. Fortunately, Jackie returned in time to take over.
The pair exchanged a few words in the form of tense chirps and switched places.
The shadow retreated to a nearby branch as the wind rattled their tree.
Once it started raining, Jackie guarded her eggs. When it snowed, the loving mother stretched her wings, gave herself a good dusting and persevered.
Shadow returned to the nest with a stick and Jackie let him take her place on the nest
The devoted mother was seen covered in snow at some points but did not flinch
At one point, Jackie sat on eggs for 35 hours straight
While one parent guarded the nest, the other hunted or perched nearby
Whenever Jackie took a break, she and Shadow would smoothly switch places
“In bad weather, eagles fly less and stay out of the elements,” Steers explained.
‘During breeding we can also notice that they lie very still, just like Jackie did, and that is to save energy.’
Jackie stood up alone to readjust before sitting back down, being careful not to harm her babies.
The pair took turns sitting on the eggs, as is common with bald eagles. Both males and females develop a brood patch – an area of featherless skin – on their chests during nesting, which allows them to keep the eggs close to their body heat.
While one parent guarded the nest, the other hunted or perched nearby. As the storm raged, Jackie sat for 35 hours straight.
Eagles store food in the crop, a muscular pouch near the throat. They can’t eat anything for a day.
Once the skies cleared, Jackie took a break and Shadow tagged in.
The father was seen gingerly turning the eggs with his beak. Eagles do this once an hour to ensure that they are heated evenly and that the embryos do not stick to the inside of the shells.
The birds’ lives are documented 24/7 by the Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, which was installed in 2015
Friends of Big Bear Valley, the group sponsoring the camera, say the nest has been in use since 2013
Even when the snow fell, Jackie remained completely still to conserve energy
The breeding season in California generally lasts from January to July or August
The incubation lasts about 35 days. Last year, Jackie and Shadow lost their clutch of two eggs after they took too long to hatch and were eaten by ravens
The breeding season varies by latitude; in California it typically extends from January to July or August.
Incubation lasts about 35 days and the chicks fledge when they are 11 or 12 weeks old.
Feb. 29 marks the start of “pip watch,” according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. When the eggs hatch, an amorous audience will certainly listen in.
But for Jackie, it will be just another day in the life of a mother.
She delivered two eggs in January last year. A month later, Steers expressed concern after record snowfall hit the valley.
The eggs ultimately took too long to hatch and the eagle pair suffered a traumatic loss in March when their clutch was eaten by ravens, live on camera.