1 of the newly hatched Big Bear eaglets has died, nonprofit says
The Big Bear Valley eagle-watching community Saturday mourned the loss of one of the three newly hatched eaglets of Jackie and Shadow.
Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that runs two webcams that livestream the eagles’ nest, said Friday morning that during the first feeding, only two chicks were visible.
Then Saturday, the nonprofit announced on its website the missing chick had been spotted dead.
“We are sad to let everyone know that one of Jackie and Shadow’s chicks did not make it through the severe winter storm that brought over 2 feet of snow to the area. The chick’s passing happened some time after all three were observed together getting fed at 6 p.m. on (Thursday) 3/13,” the group announced. “We do not know what happened or why it passed. The shorter snow berm now makes that chick partially visible in the nest bowl, on the right side.”
It wasn’t known which of the three chicks, which hatched separately beginning March 3, had died because they were close in size.
“Please allow yourself to grieve and feel whatever you feel. Please honor the chick for its courage in getting as far as it did and doing whatever it came to do,” Friends of Big Bear Valley said.