There’s a new face at Big Bear’s famous bald eagle nest in Southern California, and viewers are already invested.<\/p>\n
A young female eagle known as KD1, or “Katie” to some fans, has recently been seen alongside Shadow, the male bald eagle who spent years raising a family with his longtime mate, Jackie.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Aug. 15, Shadow and Katie<\/a> spent hours together in the nest, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley Facebook page<\/a>. Shadow’s first visit to the nest since July 23 happened the day before, which was the first time the two eagles had been seen there together.<\/p>\n The moment comes shortly after the death of Jackie<\/a>, whose life with Shadow was followed by millions through Friends of Big Bear Valley’s livestream cameras in the San Bernardino National Forest.<\/p>\n Jackie died Aug. 10 after more than three weeks of intensive medical care, according to the Ojai Raptor Center. The injured eagle, believed to be Jackie, had been rescued after sustaining injuries following an altercation with other birds<\/a>.<\/p>\n Who is Katie?<\/p>\n Katie is KD1, a banded female bald eagle previously spotted around Big Bear Valley. Because of her band, observers have identified her as a younger eagle from Southern California.<\/p>\n The Friends of Big Bear Valley group has cautioned against reading too much into the interactions just yet. Bald eagles are wild animals, and Katie spending time near Shadow does not necessarily mean she will become his next mate.<\/p>\n That distinction hasn’t stopped fans from getting invested.<\/p>\n