A new eagle at the nest: Shadow spotted with young visitor KD1 just days after Jackie's death

Big Bear Lake's beloved bald eagle Shadow has a visitor. Less than a week after the death of his longtime mate Jackie, a young eagle named KD1 appeared at the nest — and the two were spotted sharing it together for the first time on Thursday, August 13.[1]

The timing was striking: KD1 first arrived at the nest on Monday, August 10, just hours after Jackie died.[1] Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that runs the 24/7 nest webcam, shared the news with followers via Facebook but was careful to temper expectations.

"It is great to see Shadow up close and doing well. Is this a new bond forming between these two? Well, it could be, and it may not be; only time will tell," the group wrote.[1]

Who is KD1?

KD1 hatched in 2022 in the Prado Basin along the Santa Ana River in Riverside County — roughly 70 miles from the Big Bear Lake nest — and was banded by the Orange County Water District in April of that year.[1] Jenna Carpenter, a district wildlife biologist and raptor expert, said in an August 12 informational video that KD1 is likely female based on her size and is nearly five years old, which puts her at breeding age for bald eagles.[1]

Importantly, Friends of Big Bear Valley confirmed that KD1 is not one of the eagles involved in the mid-July fight that injured Jackie.[1]

What happens next — and what remains unknown

Even if Shadow and KD1 are drawn to each other, observers won't know whether a true bond has formed until breeding season — which won't begin until December or January at the earliest.[1] Whether the speed of KD1's arrival is typical for a widowed eagle is a question worth asking; no wildlife biologist or ornithologist has yet commented publicly on the statistical likelihood of Shadow re-pairing this quickly.

Meanwhile, the cause of Jackie's death remains unknown. Veterinary pathologists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance are scheduled to perform a necropsy.[1] Jackie's remains are also expected to be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Eagle Repository in Colorado.[1] As for a public celebration of life, Friends of Big Bear Valley says conversations with local organizations and agencies have begun but that no plans have been announced yet.[1]

Followers can watch for updates on the nest cam and the Friends of Big Bear Valley Facebook page, where the group says it will post details about any memorial gathering as soon as they are available.