Devoted fans of beloved bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow are grieving after their recently laid eggs were destroyed by ravens, though there\u2019s still hope that another clutch will come.<\/p>\n
Just before noon on Friday, Shadow left their Big Bear nest with its two eggs<\/a>, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit that monitors the eagles with 24-hour livestreams.<\/p>\n Typically, the eagles would take shifts on egg duty. But Jackie was out, too. <\/p>\n That afternoon, ravens flew into the unattended nest and ate the eggs.<\/p>\n Less than 10 minutes later, Jackie returned and began incubating, or sitting on, one of the breached eggs \u201cbecause her hormones are telling her to incubate.\u201d said Jenny Voisard, media and website manager for the nonprofit.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not clear why the doting parents were both absent, \u201cbut we are sure they had their reasons as they have been incubating the eggs faithfully,\u201d the nonprofit wrote in its \u201cEagle Log.\u201d<\/a> <\/p>\n There are some possible explanations, according to Voisard.<\/p>\n While Jackie and Shadow were out, eagle observers noticed there was a crack in one of the eggs, and they may have left because they knew one of the eggs may not be viable.<\/p>\n There have also been more than the usual number of bald eagles in the area \u2014 at least three juveniles and one sub-adult \u2014 and they could have been off protecting their nest.<\/p>\n The intruding ravens were tentative for a while \u2014 expecting the eagles to return, according to Voisard.<\/p>\n Over time, they became emboldened, and at least one pierced both eggs.<\/p>\n For ravens, the eggs provide a nutritious meal, packed with calcium and albumen.<\/p>\n \u201cNature isn\u2019t meaning to be cruel. Nature just is,\u201d Voisard said. \u201cAnd we just watch to understand so that we can help take care of it and coexist.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, she acknowledged that the loss of the eggs has devastated Jackie and Shadow\u2019s legions of followers as well her colleagues within the nonprofit. There have been a lot of tears.<\/p>\n Jackie and Shadow paired up in 2018, and have since experienced ample tragedy and joy in the nest.<\/p>\n Late last January, Jackie laid a rare third egg,<\/a> and all three hatched.<\/p>\n But not long after, a fierce storm rolled through the area. It claimed the life of one of the eaglets<\/a>, named Misty.<\/p>\n