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…
Jackie and Shadow’s morning at the Big Bear eagle nest on January 17, 2026, didn’t start with anything dramatic. At first, it looked like a normal day high in the tree. But as the hours passed, it became clear that this was no ordinary visit. What unfolded was a steady, focused effort that showed just how ready these two eagles are for what may come next at Jackie and Shadow’s Big Bear eagle nest.