Bald eagles Shadow and Kaydee share a peaceful morning, Jackie’s memorial service approaches

As summer melts into the fall, internet-famous bald eagle father Shadow is getting into a bit of a routine with a potential new mate named Kaydee. The two were spotted tucked into the Roost Tree (a tree without a nest where the birds like to perch) after spending the night on the branches. Early in the morning, the pair flew out together. They later appeared on the forest’s Lookout Snag as the morning mist rose over Big Bear Valley.

“Kaydee moved closer to Shadow, then stretched her wings and showed all of us those beautiful eagle flight feathers,” Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) writes. “Listen closely, and you can hear them softly chortle to one another.”

9-25-26 Wings of acquaintance

Kaydee left the Lookout Snag and visited Shadow’s nest. She then flew off from the nest’s back porch. Shadow spent the morning on the Lookout Snag, where may have been drying off his feathers from rain.

“As Shadow & Kaydee continue to become acquainted with one another, watching their wings over Big Bear Valley continues to bring us a sense of wonder and calm,” FOBBV writes. 

It is still a bit too too early to know if Shadow and Kaydee will mate. The full bald eagle nesting season lasts over six months, depending on when the fledged chicks leave the area. FOBBV tracks the nesting season beginning on September 1, and eggs are generally laid in January.  Viewers can follow Shadow and Kaydee and their journey via FOBBV’s 24/7 livestream

Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest – Cam 1

Who is KD1 aka Kaydee?

Kaydee, formerly known as KD1, is a banded female bald eagle that has been spotted in Big Bear Valley following the death of Shadow’s former partner, Jackie. She was born in 2022, about 70 miles away from Big Bear Lake in the Prado Basin between Anaheim and Riverside, California. Coincidentally, her parents are also named Lucky and Ricky like Jackie’s parents, but they are a different eagle pair. 

Kaydee was banded as part of the Orange County Water District’s work to track the eagles born in the area. These bands help biologists track and monitor the birds over time. Kaydee currently has a black spot on her head, but it may not be permanent. It’s possible that not all of her white feathers have come in or it could be tree sap or dirt. She also has two small bands on her legs. One is a small metal band, while the other is a lavender band with “KD1” on it. 

Kaydee is almost five years old, so she is just about ready to mate. She was recently spotted on FOBBV’s livestream inspecting the nest and has also been seen hanging out near Shadow. Flying around Big Bear is completely normal behavior for young adult eagles at this time of year.

Jackie and Shadow’s story

Jackie and Shadow became official in 2018. FOBBV’s nest cameras documented Jackie and Shadow’s life together, offering us a direct look into the brutality and beauty of nature. They successfully raised chicks in 2019 (Cookie and Simba) and 2022 (Spirit). The pair’s eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. However, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong wind and only two of the chicks (Sunny and Gizmo) survived.  

In January, Jackie laid two eggs in the nest, but ravens destroyed them. She later laid two more eggs that hatched in April and named Luna and Sandy. The name Sandy is in honor of FOBBV’s former executive director Sandy Steers who died from cancer in February. 

On July 17, Jackie was found injured on the ground near Dana Point Park, California. Cell phone video from a witness confirmed that she had an altercation with two other subadult eagles. She successfully fended off the other eagles by turning over and using her talons, but could not fly far away. 

She was transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for care, where she was diagnosed with severe anemia. Her anemia worsened during the first week of August, the Ojai Raptor Center said that she was in unstable condition on August 9. Her packed cell volume (PCV) fell below percent, before rising to nine percent.

Jackie died early in the morning on August 10. The necropsy did not reveal a single cause of death, and instead pointed to several factors including severe anemia, blood clots in her wing and one kidney, and liver and lung abnormalities.

When is Jackie’s memorial service?

One memorial service was held on September 5 in Fawnskin, California. A second celebration of life called Wings Over Big Bear is planned for Saturday, October 3, at Bear Mountain Ski Resort. The event will feature representatives from FOBBV, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, and more.