If you like to watch videos and consume content about birds, there is a good chance that while browsing YouTube for new bird videos to watch, a live feed popped up on your screen. Depending on the season, you might have seen a bald eagle sitting high up on a nest surrounded by blowing snow. She sits there undeterred by the cold and devoted to the eggs or eaglets beneath her. We're referring to Jackie and her mate Shadow - two bald eagles located in Big Bear Valley, California. These two and their eaglets have captured the hearts of people all over the world. However, a threat has been looming in the background that threatens to disrupt and displace Jackie, Shadow, and many other animals in the form of a proposed luxury housing development less than a mile away from where they nest and forage. This has caused people all over the world to come together to help save the land and the animals that call it home. 

If after reading this post, you want to help Jackie and Shadow or learn more about the issue, please visit SaveMoonCamp.org. Even a few dollars or simply sharing this blog post could make a big difference. 

Jackie, Shadow, and the Live Cams

Shadow and Jackie have been nesting together in Big Bear Valley since 2018. Since then, people have watched as they perform “nestorations”, incubate eggs, protect their nest from intruders, and raise their eaglets. Thanks to the team at Friends of Big Bear Valley (going forward I will refer to them as FBBV) in collaboration with experts and the US Forest Service, a nest camera was engineered and fitted with an infrared light that is invisible to the animals but able to illuminate the nest for people to see in the dark. People have watched, day and night, as Jackie and Shadow live their lives and allow us a glimpse to act as observers of nature from wherever we are. 

Each eagle has their own distinctive personality and talents. Shadow, known by many of his fans as “Stickman”, loves to bring and arrange sticks on the nest - often with comical persistence. He’s also been known to accidentally (and gently) bonk and drop sticks on his mate and eaglets. He lovingly and meticulously arranges sticks, fluff, and other materials to make the perfect nest for his family. No detail goes unnoticed and uncorrected if necessary. He’s a fantastic hunter and brings meals for his mate and eaglets such as fish and other animals. Because he’s smaller than Jackie, he’s a faster flier and a quicker hunter which benefits him when foraging and hunting for food. He’s also been seen making the best faces as he stares right into the camera with that ever hilarious “bird facing forward” stare.

Jackie, as the female, is larger than Shadow. This makes it so that she’s better equipped to incubate the eggs with her larger mass and defend the nest from other predators and intruders. Though Shadow and Jackie both take turns incubating the eggs during the day, Jackie remains in the nest at night and is a greater threat to intruders if they decide to start trouble. She’s been observed incubating and protecting her eggs and eaglets through rain, wind, and snow. There have been so many times that people wave watched live as she lays on her eggs or eaglets while being drenched, covered in snow, or swaying back and forth in the high winds. Sometimes, she gets hit with all three on the same day. Beneath her, her precious eggs and eaglets remain warm and dry. She is often seen getting excited when Shadow returns to the nest, especially if he brings her a tasty treat. Her calls can be heard echoing through the valley and her strength and determination as a mate and parent are such an honor to be able to witness. 

As far as the nest is concerned, some seasons have seen a successful clutch while others resulted in infertile eggs or failed hatches. Regardless of the outcome, people have tuned in to watch. Over 100,000 people can be seen watching the cam at once when the eaglets hatch and at certain points while they grow. Many have expressed a powerful emotional investment in the eagle family and have said that they include them throughout the day on their TVs, phones, and computers in their home and at work. 

It is inspiring to see how invested people have become in Jackie and Shadow. It’s brought a lot of attention to concerns like climate change and other environmental issues. For example, people have seen first hand what happens when we pollute our lakes and streams. On more than one occasion, the eagles have had a scare when they got a fish hook and/or fishing line stuck on/in their beak, stomach, and bodies. We have also seen how lighting fireworks scares away the eagles and other animals and puts them at risk of being harmed by wildfire. There’s also been occasions when illegal hunting or shooting has frightened the eagles even though it isn’t allowed within a certain area of where they are. It brings attention in a way that is unavoidable because people have an emotional link to the issues and can see first hand how they hurt the natural world.

The Looming Threat

In 2001, despite not conducting any environmental analysis, a luxury development project called Moon Camp was proposed to be ultimately built less than one mile from Jackie and Shadow's nest. Not only would it have a detrimental effect on the eagles, it would also harm an endangered plant species and many other animals by damaging their foraging and living areas. Unfortunately, experts do believe that the development would drive Jackie and Shadow away from their nest and foraging site and harm many other animals and plant species in the process.

However, FBBV and others fought against the proposal. The Save Moon Camp website states that "Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), along with the Center for Biological Diversity and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society filed a lawsuit under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and pursued every possible legal avenue available." and despite more setbacks and challenges, "thanks to months of negotiation led by Sandy Steers, The San Bernardino Mountain Land Trust (SBMLT) and the developer have entered into a limited agreement for SBMLT purchase Moon Camp for $10,000,000 to permanently conserve and preserve its nearly 63 acres. After the sale, the land will become part of the United States Forest Service (USFS). SBMLT has only until July 31, 2026 to raise the funds." Sandy Steers was beloved among the eagle nest community. She was the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley and would often appear in interviews and events educating the public about the eagles and the valley as well as helping to raise awareness for environmental issues in the area. She passed away on February 11th, 2026 and one of this season's eaglets was named after her in remembrance. 

Save Moon Camp

The San Bernardino Mountain Land Trust must raise the funds needed to protect the land from the development by July 31st. As of writing this post, May 26th, 2026, $3,078,381 has been raised with only a couple of months to raise the rest. To help with raising money, SaveMoonCamp.org was created and the fundraising drive began. People from all over the world have donated to and shared the efforts with others to try and help the eagles and the land remain unharmed and protected. People from every walk of life, regardless of their differences, are coming together for this very important mission. 

For so many, Jackie and Shadow are an escape from a life that can often feel difficult and cut off from the natural world. They are a reminder that we are all connected through nature and one another even though it can feel like we aren't. They truly exist in the moment and are always completely in the present - raising their eaglets, hunting only for what they need, and calling out with their wonderful calls echoing through the land. They remind us that the differences we have from one another are ultimately unimportant in comparison to the vast, beautiful world and the lives we all share on it.

Despite our political, religious, or cultural differences, what we have in common, like our love for Jackie and Shadow, can bring us together and remind us of what really matters - each other. But, we need to protect the things we care about if we want to ensure their continued existence and wellbeing. If we do, we can make sure that they will be around for generations to come.

(All images on this post were taken from the Save Moon Camp website and are Copyright © 2026 Save Moon Camp)