March 27, 2025 • 6 mins
Amy talks with Friends of Big Bear Valley Executive Director Sandy Steers about Jackie, Shadow, and their eaglets that have captured the hearts of YouTube watchers from all over the world.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Right now, let's say good morning to Sandy Steers with
friends of Big Bear Valley.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Sandy, we need an eaglet update.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Okay, good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So tell us how the kids are growing. Tell us
the latest on on how they're doing.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well. They're doing great. They're both eating very well, getting
over stuffed if anything. And the big one is growing
faster than the little one, so that's interesting to watch.
And they both are now have their clown feet where
they grow faster. Their feet grow faster than the rest
of them, and so they are very big when they're
(00:41):
trying to waddle around the nest.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
So you know, I remember seeing this from years past
that all of a sudden, you go, my goodness, look
at those feet when they're born. Are they that bright
yellowy orange color or does that happen as they start growing.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
That happens is they're they're a little bit yellow, but
that bright color gets as they start growing.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
And they're getting up and walking around a lot more.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm noticing they are. And yes, yes, they're moving all
over the nest and sometimes falling down in between going
from one place to another. And they're also winger sizing.
They both are stretching their little wings out and slapping
up and down at least as much as they can,
which sometimes is only a flap or two, and.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You call it winger sizing.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yes, I think that it's fun to watch them as
they try to use their wings to balance too.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
They do, yes, and sometimes bash each other with their
wings as they're trying to just hold themselves up.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
So, Sandy, one of the things that we've talked about before,
the people like we're freaking out about it is the
thing that they do called bonking, where they it's a
dominance thing and like a establishing a pecking order.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It's very natural.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
But when you first see it, you go, oh, my goodness,
are they killing each other?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But they're not.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
They're not at all. No, they are trying to establish
which one is in charge basically, and the actually the
little one is the one that keeps instigating those things
and trying to prove well, I'm sure I'm big enough now,
and then it bows over and says, no, I guess
that didn't work.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yes, but he's see, that's why we named him Rocky
because he's a little fighter.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
We love that about it.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yes, yes, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And then how big are they because we've noticed there's
not nearly as much room in the nest anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
They're not quite a foot high. I mean they're probably
eight or nine inches, so.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
They're like the size of a small chicken at this point.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yes, wow, it gets it's deceptive when you're looking at
the at the nest. And then speaking of watching, which
I do kind of obsessive lane, yesterday when I looked,
there were like sixty fifty sixty thousand people. There's twenty
thousand people watching right now. We know that in the
last storm there was some issues with the camera, with
(03:00):
the sound and the infrared, and I'm guessing that can't
be fixed until probably until later this year.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well that's possible. We're looking at to see if there's
anything on the like the software mechanisms inside that we
might be able to do. But if it's the hardware,
then no, we can't do anything with it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I do I miss hearing them chirping, although I don't
necessarily miss the cries of Jackie in shadow because they
can be kind of piercing.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So yes, that's true.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And then the other thing that we've noticed is that
the eagles fly away and leave the kids behind a
lot more.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And that's normal.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
That's okay, that's totally normal. What they're doing is allowing
the chicks to get their independence and to develop. And
so the chicks when they're left alone by the parents,
will you know, soon start pecking at the food themselves
and learning to eat. And it gives them room to
you know, exercise their wings and move around the nest.
(04:02):
And so they're just letting them develop. But they are nearby.
Jack and each headar are always nearby, okay.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
And then one other thing.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
It's a sad thing, but it was, I mean, it
was beautiful, sad strange when we lost the other the eaglet,
which didn't make it through that last snowstorm and we
had like two feet of snow. First of all, it
was a shadow who removed him from the nest.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Bowl, Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
And then and then.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Jackie picked him up and flew off with him, like said,
I can't have him in the nest anymore.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Right, It's kind of like what I figured out is
kind of like their way of bearing it so that
it's and actually we saw Jackie from a security camera.
We saw her drop the chick into the forest like
she was, I mean, it's letting it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yes, Why are we so obsessed with this? I know
I'm obsessed with Sandy. Why do you think people are
so obsessed with watching these guys.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Because we don't get to see nature this close up
and to see how much it's like us, how much
we are nature, and to see the behaviors and the
personalities that Jackie and Shadow have individual personalities. They're not
just these things out there they are they have their
own unique way of doing things. Each both of them
(05:24):
are different than each other, and I think people are
fascinated to find out they're all individuals out there and
they have emotions and they have things and living their
lives independently like we do.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, it is beautiful to watch. I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
And you can watch any old time because that camera's
going twenty four to seven. Friends of Big Bear Valley
is the website, and again we always want to mention
Sandy that you guys are a nonprofit organization and so
if anyone wants to help you out a little bit,
make a donation, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Go to the website Friends of Big Bear Valley dot org.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
We couldn't be watching them, I couldn't be watching our
eglitz without you, so against Sandy Steers with friends of
Big Bear Valley. We always love talking to you and
hearing how the eaglits are doing. Thanks so much for
the update.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Thank you all right, take care,
Right now, let's say good morning to Sandy Steers with
friends of Big Bear Valley.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Sandy, we need an eaglet update.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Okay, good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So tell us how the kids are growing. Tell us
the latest on on how they're doing.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well. They're doing great. They're both eating very well, getting
over stuffed if anything. And the big one is growing
faster than the little one, so that's interesting to watch.
And they both are now have their clown feet where
they grow faster. Their feet grow faster than the rest
of them, and so they are very big when they're
(00:41):
trying to waddle around the nest.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
So you know, I remember seeing this from years past
that all of a sudden, you go, my goodness, look
at those feet when they're born. Are they that bright
yellowy orange color or does that happen as they start growing.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
That happens is they're they're a little bit yellow, but
that bright color gets as they start growing.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
And they're getting up and walking around a lot more.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm noticing they are. And yes, yes, they're moving all
over the nest and sometimes falling down in between going
from one place to another. And they're also winger sizing.
They both are stretching their little wings out and slapping
up and down at least as much as they can,
which sometimes is only a flap or two, and.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You call it winger sizing.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yes, I think that it's fun to watch them as
they try to use their wings to balance too.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
They do, yes, and sometimes bash each other with their
wings as they're trying to just hold themselves up.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
So, Sandy, one of the things that we've talked about before,
the people like we're freaking out about it is the
thing that they do called bonking, where they it's a
dominance thing and like a establishing a pecking order.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It's very natural.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
But when you first see it, you go, oh, my goodness,
are they killing each other?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But they're not.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
They're not at all. No, they are trying to establish
which one is in charge basically, and the actually the
little one is the one that keeps instigating those things
and trying to prove well, I'm sure I'm big enough now,
and then it bows over and says, no, I guess
that didn't work.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yes, but he's see, that's why we named him Rocky
because he's a little fighter.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
We love that about it.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yes, yes, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And then how big are they because we've noticed there's
not nearly as much room in the nest anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
They're not quite a foot high. I mean they're probably
eight or nine inches, so.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
They're like the size of a small chicken at this point.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yes, wow, it gets it's deceptive when you're looking at
the at the nest. And then speaking of watching, which
I do kind of obsessive lane, yesterday when I looked,
there were like sixty fifty sixty thousand people. There's twenty
thousand people watching right now. We know that in the
last storm there was some issues with the camera, with
(03:00):
the sound and the infrared, and I'm guessing that can't
be fixed until probably until later this year.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well that's possible. We're looking at to see if there's
anything on the like the software mechanisms inside that we
might be able to do. But if it's the hardware,
then no, we can't do anything with it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
I do I miss hearing them chirping, although I don't
necessarily miss the cries of Jackie in shadow because they
can be kind of piercing.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So yes, that's true.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And then the other thing that we've noticed is that
the eagles fly away and leave the kids behind a
lot more.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And that's normal.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
That's okay, that's totally normal. What they're doing is allowing
the chicks to get their independence and to develop. And
so the chicks when they're left alone by the parents,
will you know, soon start pecking at the food themselves
and learning to eat. And it gives them room to
you know, exercise their wings and move around the nest.
(04:02):
And so they're just letting them develop. But they are nearby.
Jack and each headar are always nearby, okay.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
And then one other thing.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
It's a sad thing, but it was, I mean, it
was beautiful, sad strange when we lost the other the eaglet,
which didn't make it through that last snowstorm and we
had like two feet of snow. First of all, it
was a shadow who removed him from the nest.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Bowl, Yes it was.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
And then and then.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Jackie picked him up and flew off with him, like said,
I can't have him in the nest anymore.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Right, It's kind of like what I figured out is
kind of like their way of bearing it so that
it's and actually we saw Jackie from a security camera.
We saw her drop the chick into the forest like
she was, I mean, it's letting it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yes, Why are we so obsessed with this? I know
I'm obsessed with Sandy. Why do you think people are
so obsessed with watching these guys.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Because we don't get to see nature this close up
and to see how much it's like us, how much
we are nature, and to see the behaviors and the
personalities that Jackie and Shadow have individual personalities. They're not
just these things out there they are they have their
own unique way of doing things. Each both of them
(05:24):
are different than each other, and I think people are
fascinated to find out they're all individuals out there and
they have emotions and they have things and living their
lives independently like we do.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, it is beautiful to watch. I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
And you can watch any old time because that camera's
going twenty four to seven. Friends of Big Bear Valley
is the website, and again we always want to mention
Sandy that you guys are a nonprofit organization and so
if anyone wants to help you out a little bit,
make a donation, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Go to the website Friends of Big Bear Valley dot org.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
We couldn't be watching them, I couldn't be watching our
eglitz without you, so against Sandy Steers with friends of
Big Bear Valley. We always love talking to you and
hearing how the eaglits are doing. Thanks so much for
the update.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Thank you all right, take care,
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