Bald eagle mama lays second egg in San Bernardino nest
“And then there were two.”
The San Bernardino National Forest announced the arrival of its second bald eagle egg of the new year just before Saturday’s sunset.
Video captured proud mom Jackie perched above her eggs, taking a moment to gaze at the nearby lake after tending to her nest. Her mate, Shadow, was likely nearby. He will bring Jackie meals during the incubation period and sub in for her, sitting on the eggs, on occasion.
“Based on nest-cam observations of their behavior over the past two nesting seasons, we expect to see Jackie doing the bulk of the incubation,” San Bernardino National Forest tweeted last week. “She’s never let Shadow incubate overnight or during big storms.”
Bald eagles are choosing to nest close to human activity, but no one knows why.
The second egg was laid three days after the first, as was expected. The incubation period is roughly 35 days. The chicks are expected to hatch close to Valentine’s Day.
The area on the northwest side of the lake where the nest is perched is closed to the public.
“Nesting bald eagles that feel threatened by human activity may abandon the eggs,” the park warned.
But those interested in keeping watch can get an up-close view of the birds via live-streaming camera video on YouTube from Friends of Big Bear Valley. The camera is perched 120 feet high in a pine tree in the community of Fawnskin.
Last year, Jackie also laid two eggs, which hatched within days of each other in April. One of the chicks, however, died after enduring snow and cold temperatures in a late-season storm.
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