As summer begins to melt into the fall, internet-famous bald eagle Shadow and his new friend Kaydee continue to spend time together in Big Bear Valley.
On Friday, August 21 Shadow appeared content while looking out over the lake. Kaydee was spotted towards the lower part of the tree, greeting the morning with song. She was spotted again on the forest’s twin pine trees, which is becoming a preferred perching spot, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV).
8-21-2026 Only Yesterday
“Just as Kaydee is getting to know the area, Shadow is off enjoying the rest of his summer vacation,” FOBBV writes. “It’s been fun seeing him around the territory, and there is still time to spot him when he comes out from his well-deserved resting spots!”
By Sunday morning, the pair greeted each other with a song that echoed over the valley and Big Bear Lake. Kaydee also performed some “crop drops,” while checking out the habitat, and possibly eye on Shadow.
8-23-2026 Sunday Sunrise Shenanigans…
A crop drop is a way for adult eagles to store food. Their stomach (or gizzard) is only about the size of a walnut. So they have a little crop at the bottom of their necks, which is sort of like a food storage container or doggie bag. According to FOBBV, adult eagles can store up to two pounds of food in their crop and these drops make sure that they can eat small amounts food and keep digesting throughout the day
Kaydee also appears to have found the camera, or at least a reflection on the lens. She tilted her head in curiosity, and this eagle appears to be a bit of a ham. The pair also spent some time rearranging sticks in the nest on Sunday afternoon.
Kaydee was also spotted on the nest early this morning, but flew away after a few minutes leaving some feathers behind.
Viewers can follow Shadow and Kaydee and their journey via FOBBV’s livestream
Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest – Cam 1
Who is KD1 aka Kaydee?
Kaydee, formerly known as KD1, is a banded female bald eagle that has been spotted in Big Bear Valley following the death of Shadow’s former partner, Jackie. She was born in 2022, about 70 miles away from Big Bear Lake in the Prado Basin between Anaheim and Riverside, California. Coincidentally, her parents are also named Lucky and Ricky like Jackie’s parents, but they are a different eagle pair.
Kaydee was banded as part of the Orange County Water District’s work to track the eagles born in the area. These bands help biologists track and monitor the birds over time. Kaydee currently has a black spot on her head, but it may not be permanent. It’s possible that not all of her white feathers have come in or it could be tree sap or dirt. She also has two small bands on her legs. One is a small metal band, while the other is a lavender band with “KD1” on it.
Kaydee is almost five years old, so she is just about ready to mate. She was recently spotted on FOBBV’s livestream inspecting the nest and has also been seen hanging out near Shadow. Flying around Big Bear is completely normal behavior for young adult eagles at this time of year.
It is still too early to know if Shadow and Kaydee will mate. The full bald eagle nesting season lasts over six months, depending on when the fledged chicks leave the area. FOBBV tracks the nesting season beginning on September 1, and eggs are generally laid in January.
Jackie and Shadow’s story
Jackie and Shadow became official in 2018. FOBBV’s nest cameras documented Jackie and Shadow’s life together, offering us a direct look into the brutality and beauty of nature. They successfully raised chicks in 2019 (Cookie and Simba) and 2022 (Spirit). The pair’s eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. However, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong wind and only two of the chicks (Sunny and Gizmo) survived.
In January, Jackie laid two eggs in the nest, but ravens destroyed them. She later laid two more eggs that hatched in April and named Luna and Sandy. The name Sandy is in honor of FOBBV’s former executive director Sandy Steers who died from cancer in February.
On July 17, Jackie was found injured on the ground near Dana Point Park, California. Cell phone video from a witness confirmed that she had an altercation with two other subadult eagles. She successfully fended off the other eagles by turning over and using her talons, but could not fly far away.
She was transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for care, where she was diagnosed with severe anemia. Her anemia worsened during the first week of August, the Ojai Raptor Center said that she was in unstable condition on August 9. Her packed cell volume (PCV) fell below percent, before rising to nine percent.
Jackie died early in the morning on August 10. The necropsy did not reveal a single cause of death, and instead pointed to several factors including severe anemia, blood clots in her wing and one kidney, and liver and lung abnormalities.
