Will the nesting eagles produce a leap year chick?

Thousands of online viewers hope to catch glimpse of a hatchling

Pip watch is on for thousands who tune in daily to a livestream capturing the goings-on in an eagle nest overlooking Big Bear Lake.

Leap Day is the first official day for pip watch, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates a pair of web cams that monitor the lives of Jackie and Shadow, the pair of nesting eagles who this year are caring for their first three-egg clutch.

In a social media post earlier in the week, the nonprofit said live stream viewers may catch sight of the first pip — or the first crack in an eggshell created by the chick inside — today. That’s 35 days since Jackie, the female eagle, on Jan. 25 delivered the first of her three eggs.

The second egg appeared Jan.28 and the third, a first for the nesting eagles, arrived Jan. 31.

Livestream viewers over the next several days may notice Jackie and her mate, Shadow, paying more attention to the eggs, spending time listening and possibly “stocking the pantry” by leaving uneaten fish in the nest, Friends of Big Bear Valley said.

Once the first pip in the shell appears, it can take one to three days for the chick to completely hatch, the nonprofit said.

In previous years, the Big Bear eaglets have hatched 38 to 39 days into incubation, but Friends of Big Bear Valley said the process may take longer due to the arrival of the third egg this year.

Last year, neither of the two eggs laid by Jackie hatched. FOBBV representatives say hatching can be impacted by solar flares, earthquakes, confused hormones, intruder eagles and weather conditions.

Jackie’s most recent offspring, Spirit, hatched in March 2022.

VIDEO STILLS COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF BIG BEAR VALLEY Big Bear eagles, Jackie and Shadow, trade places sitting on their three eagle eggs in their nest in Big Bear on Tuesday.