Eyes from across the globe have been locked on a giant bird nest perched atop a pine tree in Big Bear for weeks but recent developments have some loyal fans of the eagle couple nicknamed Jackie and Shadow on edge.
The two eagles have become local celebrities thanks to a live camera installed outside their 6-foot wide nest in 2015 by biologist Sandy Steers, executive director of the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit, environmental education organization.
In January, Jackie laid three eggs and 35 days later, viewers from across the globe tuned in for "Pip Watch," which is named so for the tiny breaks known as "pips" an eaglet will create in the days ahead of its hatching.
The first egg reached day on Feb. 29 at 4:55 p.m. Jackie's previous eggs have hatched on days 38 and 39 so at day 42 on Friday, it was likely the first egg was past its time to be a viable eaglet.
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"We wish there was an obvious pip that we could report, but so far, there is not. We do not know why or how. But that is nature," Friends of Bear Valley wrote on their Facebook Page, which has nearly 690,000 followers. "Eggs 2 and 3 are still within the possible hatching window. Egg 1 is probably not."
There is still hope for the couple but time is dwindling. Jackie and Shadow continue to dedicate themselves to their eggs 24 hours a day, taking turns to leave the nest for a few moments to eat and spread their wings.
Fans on the Facebook post were heartbroken by the news but many understood that it's a part of nature and were just grateful to have witnessed it thanks to the 24-hour live cam.
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Jackie has laid several eggs during the six years they've been together; only two have survived.
The bald eagles are amazing creatures, with Jackie and Shadow providing proof as the pair weather freezing snowstorms in their six-foot-wide nest, taking turns sitting on their precious brood 24 hours a day.
Each bird is protected by 7,000 or so feathers "knitted" together that keep them and their eggs warm, even when temperatures dip below freezing and the wind is blowing.
Watch the Big Bear Eagle Live Nest Camera below
Viewers can listen to and watch the antics of the delightful, rambunctious couple through the organization's YouTube and Facebook pages, where social media users can keep up with the constant comments posted by their ever-growing fan base.
