UPDATE: A pip was seen on a second egg in the nest. The sighting was confirmed by Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit group overseeing the camera that observes Jackie and Shadow, the famous bald eagles that live near Big Bear Lake.
Pip #2 was confirmed at 7:59 a.m. March 3 while pip #1 was detected March 2 at 3:09 p.m. (scroll for the original story is below). "It looks like both pips have equally progressed," shared Friends of Big Bear Valley.
March 3 is the day Spirit, the bonded pair's last baby, was born in 2022, adding to the excitement of fans around the planet.
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Just as movie stars started to arrive on the red carpet in Hollywood for the 97th Academy Awards, another sort of exciting arrival was underway on a "stick carpet" high in a Jeffrey pine tree near Big Bear Lake: A pip has been detected in one of Jackie and Shadow's three eggs.
Or should we say "egg-citing": Pip Watch 2025 began March 1, with eagle enthusiasts around the world watching each minuscule movement of the two adult eagles and the trio of eggs at the center of their famous nest.
Those fans didn't have to wait long: The Friends of Big Bear Valley team, which oversees the nest-adjacent camera, posted that the "INITIAL PIP HAS BEEN CONFIRMED" as of 3:09 p.m. March 2.
A pip is what forms as the chick begins to exit the egg courtesy of its trusty egg tooth, a process that can take quite a while, upping the sense of anticipation.
If you're looking for the pip in question, it was on the egg on the right side of the clutch as of 3:30 p.m. — the pip looks something like a crack — though keep in mind that the adult eagles do move the eggs to aerate them with some frequency.
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"Congratulations Jackie and Shadow and the entire eagle family! We've been waiting for almost 3 years," the nonprofit organization posted on Facebook.
"Jackie and Shadow's previous chick Spirit pipped exactly 3 years ago to the date."
When will a tiny fluffball finally emerge after the lengthy and arduous hatching process? Be sure to watch the around-the-clock live feed to bask in all of the adorable, pip-tastic action.
The two remaining eggs are still unpipped, as of 4 p.m. March 2, but keep an eagle eye out for any crack-like changes to their surfaces in the days to come.
The 2025 clutch of eggs, by the by, arrived Jan. 22, 25, and 28. Past years have found Jackie and Shadow's viable eggs taking around 38 days, or more, of care-filled incubation.
For more on this bonded pair's inspiring, multi-year story, visit the Friends of Big Bear Valley site now.
Updated March 3
