It's an unforgettable Easter Sunday for Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow, who welcomed a pair of eaglets this weekend in front of 2.5 million social media followers.
The first chick hatched Saturday night at 11:33 p.m., while the second emerged Sunday at 8:30 a.m., according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit group that monitors the pair's webcam.
The camera has followed Jackie and Shadow, who have been mating since 2018, turning the birds into celebrities around the world and regular fixtures on morning TV shows.
Live streaming is believed to be the most viewed nature cam all year on YouTube.
The two chicks will be named by third-grade students at a Big Bear school, according to Jenny Voisard, media manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley.
Observers spotted what appeared to be a nugget (or crack in the eggshell) on Friday. Hatching typically takes 24 to 48 hours after the first pip, the nonprofit said. As of Friday morning, you could see some shell appearing on the top of the egg.
Video footage released by the nonprofit shows a close-up of the broken shell in the nest as winds blow and an eagle stands guard.
On Saturday, the first chick had its head out of its shell. Friends of Big Bear Valley noted in a Facebook post that a bird is not considered hatched until it is completely free of the shell. Observers on Saturday spotted what appeared to be a nugget in the second egg.
On Sunday, they were both born and seemed healthy.
Webcam viewers will have a short period to capture the two eaglets before they leave the nest. It takes them 10 to 14 weeks to leave the nest, Voisard said.
The births are a triumph for Jackie and Shadow, who lost a clutch in late January. The crows ate the couple's two eggs when they were left unattended for several hours.
The couple went back to work and Jackie laid two new eggs at the end of February.
Last year, the couple raised two daughters, Gizmo and Sunny, who later became.
Times Editor Lila Seidman contributed to this report.
