"Pip Watch" Is on for Big Bear Valley Bald Eagle Eggs — When Will They Hatch?

Animal lovers have something to be really excited about, as the beloved bald eagles of Big Bear Valley prepare to become mom and dad. The duo, named Jackie and Shadow, have been sitting on some eggs that are nestled in the birds' massive nest, which lies more than a hundred feet off the ground in the San Bernardino National Forest.

But those who have been patiently wondering when Jackie and Shadow's eggs will hatch are in for a treat, since the agency monitoring the eggs has given an update.

The group Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) has declared the official "Pip Watch" season for the eggs, which is the time when they say that people should be extra diligent about tuning into the livestream so that they can watch in real times as the pair of eggs the birds have been tending to begin to show their first signs of getting ready to hatch, which starts with the official "pip" from the hatchling.

Here's when FOBBV says you should turn on the livestream to watch the bald eagles.

According to an Instagram post shared by the official Friends of Big Bear Valley website, "Pip Watch" 2026 officially begins on March 31.

"This is when we look for the first small crack in the eggs that begins the hatching process," the post, which featured a video of the lovebirds (pun intended) sitting on their eggs, said in the caption. According to the Schoolhouse Farm blog, pipping is the term for when a chick breaks through their egg for the first time, signaling it's time to hatch.

Pipping can take some time, though, since not all hatchlings will immediately break completely out of their shell. Instead, some could take several minutes (or even hours) to complete the process, which involves breaking both the egg's inner membrane and the outer shell.

However, the American Eagle Foundation says that those watching the livestream should be prepared to wait a while before seeing much action after that initial pip, since bald eagles can take up to 48 hours to exit the egg.

While it's exciting to know that we can watch the miracle of birth (or more accurately, hatching) from just about anywhere in the world, those living near the Jeffrey pine tree located inside the San Bernardino National Forest could be the closest spectators to the hatch.

Although it will be hard for them to see much of anything without the help of the FOBBV cameras, since the birds built their nest at the top of the 145-foot-tall tree, according to local news station NBC Los Angeles.

While this egg clutch definitely garnered a lot of attention, it was not the first of 2026 for the birds. In January, the pair lost a set of eggs after ravens invaded the nest while the birds were away.

Fortunately, they quickly laid a second set of eggs in the same nest, which FOBBV has been keeping a close eye on.

The good news is that it seems like these hatchlings are poised to make it, and should still make their bit debut within 48 hours of pipping.