• Of the three eaglets recently hatched in a Big Bear nest, only two were seen being fed this morning.
• Friends of Big Bear Valley, who monitors the nest via livestream, says the nest bowl is wide and obscured by snow, so the third eaglet may be out of view.
• Some viewers expressed concern online after noticing the two visible eaglets were left unattended for a period of time and appeared cold.
• Nearly 400,000 people are watching the livestream, hoping for the survival of the endangered California baby chicks.

Only two out of three baby birds were seen feeding around 6:50 a.m. Friday at Jackie and Shadow’s Big Bear nest via the Friends of Big Bear Valley’s Bald Eagle Live Nest Camera.

The disappearance of the eaglet comes during one of Big Bear’s biggest storms of the year, only days after all three eggs hatched.

“All chicks are most likely in the clear space of the nest bowel which is quite wide,” Friends of Big Bear Valley said Friday morning in the comments of their latest Facebook post. “The camera view of the bottom of the nest bowel is obstructed by the snow berm. We don’t know what is happening in that area and we will continue to observe and take each moment as it comes, just like Jackie and Shadow.”

Friends of Big Bear Valley officials confirmed that they were only able to see two chicks being fed Friday morning in the comments section on Thursday’s Facebook post, but encouraged the public to “stay positive.”

Many livestream-watching fans are distraught over the disappearance of the third eaglet.

“I really am freaking out right now,” Stacie Lynne posted. “There [are] only 2 babies in the nest! Can someone tell me this isn’t true?”

Fans had high hopes for the three eagle chicks after an unsuccessful hatch for Jackie and Shadow last year. Nearly 400,000 fans are tuned into the YouTube livestream this year, rooting for the survival of the endangered California baby chicks.

Jackie and Shadow’s Chicks No. 1 and No. 2 hatched 10 days ago and Chick No. 3 only six days ago on March 8.

Pip pip hooray! Two of Jackie and Shadow’s eagle eggs have begun to hatch

Bearing the storm

Big Bear received 12 to 18 inches of snow this week, Big Bear Mountain Resort said in a press release.

“Overnight, the slopes saw an additional 3 inches of fresh snow, bringing the storm total to 25-31 inches at Snow Valley [Resort] and 23-27 inches at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain since it started yesterday morning,” resort officials stated in a post on X Friday morning.

“Jackie is such an amazing super mom, withstanding these storms like a pro,” Friends of Big Bear Valley stated in a Facebook post during the thick of the storm Thursday night. “We may worry about her at times, but she always shows us her strength and fortitude as she covers and protects her chicks with every ounce of her being.”

Jackie and Shadow fed the baby chicks a total of 11 times Thursday in preparation for inclement weather, Friends of Big Bear Valley stated online. All three eagle chicks were seen on the livestream Thursday night eating fish and slain birds.

“Shadow handled Chicks1&2, while Jackie fed Chick3,” nonprofit officials said. “A dual feeding seemed super effective and productive as all the chicks received ample amounts of food. This could help avoid bonking and sibling rivalry so Jackie and Shadow may be learning some new things having three chicks in the nest.”

Many social media commenters are now worried about the remaining two eaglets as they were left uncovered for 22 minutes Friday morning.

“I turned my head and now no parent? Where are the adults?” commented Donna Goddu on Friends of Big Bear Valley’s Facebook post Friday morning.

Other fans are noticing the shivering and unwillingness to eat of the remaining baby chicks.

“I am heartbroken, one missing and the other two aren’t really eating,” expressed Tina Fischer on the same post late Friday morning.

McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at [email protected].