Bald Eagles' New Hope After Tragedy

0:00From Durham, this is your March 19th update. Bald Eagles, Jackie and Shadow have become Internet stars high in the mountains of Big Bear, California. Their Nest Cam, run by friends of Big Bear Valley, draws 1.2 million Facebook followers and 740,000 YouTube subscribers. Viewers watch them build nests, mate, and raise young in real time, tuning in by the tens of thousands for big moments. Jackie hatched in the area back in 2012 from an earlier Eagle pair. She paired up with a male called Mr. B and they had eglets like Big Bear Baby and Stormy. In 2018, Shadow took over as mate and together they've raised chicks including Sunny and Gizmo in 2024. This year brought tub times for the Eagles and fans alike. In late January 2026, Ravens ate their eggs after the nest set empty. Then in February, the nonprofits executive director Sandy Steers passed away at age 73 from cancer.

1:00Fans poured out grief in over 12,000 comments on social media posts. Hope returned quickly though. By late February, Jackie laid two new eggs after more nest building and mating. The announcement got 69,000 likes and viewers flocked back to the live feed. Now the group fights a bigger threat, a planned 50 home development near the nest. They kicked off a $10 million fundraiser to buy the land and keep it wild for Jackie, Shadow, and future Eagles. The Daily News Now is powered by our sponsor. Headphones in a pillow, simple idea, surprisingly addictive, S-O-L-I-S-O-L-Pillow.com.