@WakeUpCall – Friends of Big Bear Valley

Amy talks with the Executive Director for Friends of Big Bear Valley Sandy Steers about what is going on in Jackie and Shadows’ nest.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's say good morning now to the executive director of
Friends of Big Bear Valley. It's Sandy Steers. Morning, Sandy, Yeah,
I'm playing.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
We haven't talked to you.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
For a while, but we've got some eagles and there's
so much going on in the nest and so we
got to talk to Sandy and get an update. So
can you tell us what Jackie and Shadow have been
doing in the nest recently?

Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yes, they have been there bringing sticks and preparing, even
bringing fluff, getting ready for the nesting season. In the
last couple of weeks, they've set two new records of
twenty eight sticks each.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
So they're serious about this nest building. And they yes,
they already have the.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Nest in place, so why do they keep building it
and making it taller?

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Part of their bonding ritual, part of how they connect
with each other, is for them to continue bringing sticks
and work together to lay them out in the net.
So that's how they flirt, that's how they, you know,
get ready for things and say I'm here, I'm ready.
And they even yesterday they were mating on a different tree.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh okay, and so then how long after they mate
does she lay an egg?

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Is it a couple months or is it.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
A couple of weeks or.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
No, it's weeks, but it doesn't it's not exact. It's
not an exact science since so, but it'll take a
little while before she lays an egg. Usually sometime in
January she.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Does, right, and we can't wait for that. I'm ready
to be obsessed with Jackie in Shadow again.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Now.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
I wanted to talk to you too, Sandy, because I've
seen some posts and there have been a lot of
visitors to the nest.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yes, there have been a lot of visitors and it's
very unusual and it's nothing that we can explain. It's
funny that Jackie in Shadow are chasing them away, but
not very avidly. And last night they were on the
roof tree.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
They were on the roof tree again.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah. I tuned in one morning, said I think I
had seen something on Facebook or Instagram, and I thought, oh,
I'll go look at the live cam because I know
you guys have the camera fixed now. And there was
a juvenile sitting right there, not in the nest, but
right outside, just hanging out there.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Right.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yes, they are back and I think hoping mostly hoping
to get food. We don't know which juveniles they are.
They could be from anywhere, but they you know, they
hang around adults hoping to get food because that's where
they bring the food.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Okay, So do we know if it might be sunny
in Gizmo?

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Is there any way to tell?

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Or is it just they're random juveniles because they all
kind of look alike at this point.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, it's random juveniles because they all look alike. I mean,
it could be, It couldn't be. It doesn't really, you know,
they all look alike.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Okay, And do the adults you said it was unusual.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Do the adults ever let the juveniles come back or
like literally picking them out of the nest is their
way of helping them move on.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
Right, Their way of picking them out is helping them
move on, because Jackie and Shadow have to feed the
new chicks. So I think it's only because there aren't
eggs yet that they're being a little more accommodating and
getting ready. But it's interesting to see.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
Them there, Okay.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
And then the one thing I saw some people who
were very concerned because one of the times one of
the juveniles came to the nest. I can't remember if
it was Jackie yours Shadow, but they pretty aggressively removed.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Them, Yes they did. They won't hurt them, but they
will make them know that they're not welcome there.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Okay. So it's just an eagle thing, don't not something
to be.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Worried about, right exactly?

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
And this might be a little bit too late to
get it in time for Christmas, but twenty twenty six
is just around the corner. And you guys have your
Friends of Big Bear Valley calendar, and a friend of
mine from Portland sent one to me and it's got
fantastic pictures of Jackie and Shadow and Sonny and Gizmo.
They're just such it. They bring back wonderful memories. So

(04:09):
if you are an ego lover like I am, and
you want to support Friends of Big Bear Valley, you
can go get one of their calendars for next.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
Year, thank you very much. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Where where do they go? What's the website?

Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, Friends of Big Bear Valley dot org.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
And also, you guys are a nonprofit, so if anybody
wants to make a little donation, they can do that
as well.

Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yes, we are, thank you for mentioning that.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Okay, because we got to keep that camera going so
we can see Jackie in Shadow. Can't wait to see
them start their new family. Sandy Steers, thank you so
much for the info. We'll be watching the nest. Thank
you all right, have a merry Christmas. I can't wait
to be obsessed with Jackie in Shadow again.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
They're so great.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
And again that calendar really does have some great pictures.
If you are an ego lover and you watch any
of the chicks or the eaglets becoming little eagles and
growing up, they've got some great pictures.