Shadow returned to the Big Bear nest after three weeks, and KD1 followed him in. Then one gentle moment changed the feeling of the entire visit.
Hours after Jackie died, KD1 did something never seen before: the banded young eagle landed in Jackie and Shadow’s nest, then ended the night near Shadow.
Jackie, Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle and Shadow’s longtime mate, died August 10 after more than three weeks of intensive care. Her life leaves a legacy far beyond the nest.
Shadow and banded eagle KD1 spent Sunday morning moving through Big Bear before sharing the Twin Pines and exchanging vocals. Then the rain started, while questions swirled about what KD1’s continued presence really means.
Shadow and a sub-adult eagle spent the night in the same Big Bear roost tree, but a second young eagle nearby made the evening even more surprising.