As a new week began in Big Bear Valley, internet-famous bald eagle dad Shadow and a new female bald eagle in the area named KD1 greeted the sunrise with song. Shadow called, while KD1 listened, as did the millions who follow the live stream of Shadow’s nest run by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV).
“Shadow and KD-1’s morning duet gives us all a sense of peace and hope,” FOBBV writes. “Whether forming a friendship or something deeper, we must trust in their present teamwork and patiently wait for a new day and a new story.
Viewers can follow along via FOBBV’s livestreams of the nest and trees.
Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest – Cam 1
Big Bear Bald Eagle Wide View – Cam 2
Who is KD1?
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.
KD1 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. KD1 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.
KD1 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 KD 1 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.
