On March 7, 2026, A powerful windstorm brought a tense moment to the Big Bear bald eagle nest, where Jackie and Shadow are currently incubating their eggs. The gusts were so strong that both eagles were blown off the eggs three different times while trying to protect and incubate them. Even as the tall pine tree swayed back and forth, Jackie and Shadow kept returning to the center of the nest bowl, doing everything they could to keep the eggs warm and safe. It was a moment that was both frightening and inspiring.
On March 2, 2026, The morning started the way strong eagle mornings often do, with Decorah Dad arriving home carrying breakfast. Decorah’s Hatchery Dad swept into the nest with a fresh fish clutched in his talons. Below him, Mom remained settled low in the nest bowl, carefully incubating their two eggs. The late winter sun lit the nest in soft gold, and everything about the moment felt calm and steady.
There are moments at a nest when the air shifts, and everyone watching can feel it. At the Southwest Florida eagle nest, that shift came quietly. Eagle mom, F23 has not been seen since the morning of February 27. No dramatic exit. No visible struggle. Just vanished. And in that absence, the weight of the nest changed.
On February 16, 2026, as a powerful winter storm pushed toward Big Bear and the wind began to build, Jackie made a move that instantly changed the mood in the nest. She lowered herself slowly into the bowl, pressing flat and still in a posture eagle watchers know well. Pancaking. The timing could not have felt more dramatic.
The morning of January 28, 2026 unfolded differently than most at the SWFL bald eagle nest. A rare cold snap…