Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Moderator: N Amer Eagle Cam TA's
Big Bear CA 2017-2018
With a big thanks to FlyForeverFree, we have another eagle cam in California! Another big thanks to JudyB for doing the initial start up with this history and the maps! Thank you both very much!
Welcome to the Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest at Big Bear Lake near Fawnskin in the San Bernadino National Forest, inland from Los Angeles.
Link to the cam at YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNdo6wu_Xug
Cam with Chat, courtesy of Institute for Wildlife Studies - http://www.iws.org/interactive_nestchat_allUstream.html
Link to the old forum:
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/forum/vi ... 639#911639
Welcome to the Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest at Big Bear Lake near Fawnskin in the San Bernadino National Forest, inland from Los Angeles.
Link to the cam at YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNdo6wu_Xug
Cam with Chat, courtesy of Institute for Wildlife Studies - http://www.iws.org/interactive_nestchat_allUstream.html
Link to the old forum:
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/forum/vi ... 639#911639
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Past nest history.
For those who watch the Institute for Wildlife Studies cams on the Channel Islands, Santa Catalina where the Two Harbors and West End nests are located is identified as the Catalina Island Essential Fish Habitat on the map above, and Santa Cruz island where the Pelican Harbor nest was (and probably still is, but the adults have been moving frequently so hard to find) and the Sauces Canyon nest is and the new Fraser Canyon nest will be - is the island labeled Channel Islands of California.
I saw on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Big ... 029491602/) that the adults are called Lucy and Ricky, but I have no idea how official that is. It appears that they are early layers, with a possibility of eggs in late December or early January - and unfortunately that doesn't always work out. Again from the Facebook page, they successfully raised an eaglet named Jack (who turned out to be female) in 2012, but lost eggs or young chicks to cold snaps in 2013 and 2014. They were raising a chick named Shadow in 2015, and I didn't find a report of a fledge, but he/she was looking good and was near full-size in posts I did find, so here's hoping that went well.
Dr. Peter Sharpe from IWS noted in their chat that "This nest is at an elevation of ~7000 feet, so it is probably one of the highest bald eagle nests." It does make me wonder why they nest so early - the Channel Island nests are later (though many of the eagles there - or their parents - were imported from further north where eagles were more plentiful when the bald eagle restoration project on the islands began, so they may be on a northern schedule). Here's a map of the US, showing that this nest isn't that much further north than the nests in Florida, and a bit south of the Carolina Raptor Center, in the southern part of North Carolina.
For those who watch the Institute for Wildlife Studies cams on the Channel Islands, Santa Catalina where the Two Harbors and West End nests are located is identified as the Catalina Island Essential Fish Habitat on the map above, and Santa Cruz island where the Pelican Harbor nest was (and probably still is, but the adults have been moving frequently so hard to find) and the Sauces Canyon nest is and the new Fraser Canyon nest will be - is the island labeled Channel Islands of California.
I saw on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Big ... 029491602/) that the adults are called Lucy and Ricky, but I have no idea how official that is. It appears that they are early layers, with a possibility of eggs in late December or early January - and unfortunately that doesn't always work out. Again from the Facebook page, they successfully raised an eaglet named Jack (who turned out to be female) in 2012, but lost eggs or young chicks to cold snaps in 2013 and 2014. They were raising a chick named Shadow in 2015, and I didn't find a report of a fledge, but he/she was looking good and was near full-size in posts I did find, so here's hoping that went well.
Dr. Peter Sharpe from IWS noted in their chat that "This nest is at an elevation of ~7000 feet, so it is probably one of the highest bald eagle nests." It does make me wonder why they nest so early - the Channel Island nests are later (though many of the eagles there - or their parents - were imported from further north where eagles were more plentiful when the bald eagle restoration project on the islands began, so they may be on a northern schedule). Here's a map of the US, showing that this nest isn't that much further north than the nests in Florida, and a bit south of the Carolina Raptor Center, in the southern part of North Carolina.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Current nest history.
A young adult was seen at the nest in the fall of 2016 and was joined by another young eagle in January 2017; the new pair spent a lot of time working on the nest. We have been calling them Mr and Mrs BB (short for Big Bear of course). In 2017 Mrs BB was still just a bit too young and didn't have eggs. Thankfully they returned to the nest for 2017-2018 nesting season.
Egg Summary:
First Egg Laid on 1/3/18. Chick hatched 2/11/18. Named Stormy.
Second Egg Laid on 1/6/18. Chick hatched 2/12/18. Baby Big Bear passed away on 3/23/2018
A young adult was seen at the nest in the fall of 2016 and was joined by another young eagle in January 2017; the new pair spent a lot of time working on the nest. We have been calling them Mr and Mrs BB (short for Big Bear of course). In 2017 Mrs BB was still just a bit too young and didn't have eggs. Thankfully they returned to the nest for 2017-2018 nesting season.
Egg Summary:
First Egg Laid on 1/3/18. Chick hatched 2/11/18. Named Stormy.
Second Egg Laid on 1/6/18. Chick hatched 2/12/18. Baby Big Bear passed away on 3/23/2018
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Mr BB is quite a bit smaller than Mrs BB. He has the full white tail.
Mrs BB is a very big female. She still has some dark speckled spots on her tail.
Both eagles.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Got this scap yesterday. Mr BB babysitting the kids. Just had to post this one.
- stephaniemhood
- Topic Assistant
- Posts: 4806
- Joined: Feb 23, 2018
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Hello everyone!!
A HUGE thank you to Rita for getting us set up here...how exciting
A HUGE thank you to Rita for getting us set up here...how exciting
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
-Native American Proverb
-Native American Proverb
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Thank you Stephanie! The new forum is quite nice.
4:40 pm Mrs BB is on duty.
4:40 pm Mrs BB is on duty.
- stephaniemhood
- Topic Assistant
- Posts: 4806
- Joined: Feb 23, 2018
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
It is quite nice!
4:55p - We've got an eaglet butt sneaking out from under Mrs. BB for a ps
4:55p - We've got an eaglet butt sneaking out from under Mrs. BB for a ps
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
-Native American Proverb
-Native American Proverb
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
The IR is going to be on soon. The kids had a really nice long meal though.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Oh how I wish that blue fishing line would just disappear. It has reappeared today and the little ones were in it at one point today but are now not in the fishing line. Just hoping and praying that this wonderful family gets all the advantages they need to get these two little ones fledged.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
Hi Dino. Oh yes that blue line needs to go! Thank you for your thoughts. We too wish to see these two raised to fledge.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
5:49 pm Mrs BB tucked in.
The IR came on and Mrs BB woke up.
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
6:11 pm Mrs BB is tucked in.
- stephaniemhood
- Topic Assistant
- Posts: 4806
- Joined: Feb 23, 2018
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
6:18p - Mrs. BB might be ready for bed but the kids are still squirming
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
-Native American Proverb
-Native American Proverb
Re: Big Bear CA 2017-2018
6:31 pm Mrs BB keeps waking up.
She tucked in again.