Pip Watch 2023 Is on for the Big Bear Eagles (and It’s a Real Talon-Biter for Viewers)

Anything we deem to be a “nail-biter” in life is instantly understood by anyone who knows the term: We’re on the edge of our seat, awaiting the final buzzer or ultimate result, the desired development we’ve pinned our hopes upon.

But how to describe the feeling of watching two feathery superstars as they incubate a pair of eggs during the window when those eggs may hatch?

We’ll go with “talon-biter” to describe the experience of watching the beloved Big Bear bald eagles during the anxiety-filled stretch immediately following Valentine’s Day 2023.

For the two eggs laid by Jackie in the middle of January have now reached their “hatch window,” passing the 35-day incubation period on the afternoon of Feb. 15.

True, Jackie’s babies have emerged around day 38 or 39 in the past, so the excitement will truly beak, er, peak around Feb. 18, or day 38. What people are looking for? A “pip” or a small break in the egg, signifying when a tiny bird is making its exit.

But the fervor couldn’t be higher as nearly 10,000 people from around the world keep a nearly uninterrupted eagle eye on the nest cam, which is positioned high in a Jeffery pine near Big Bear Lake.

For there’s a twist: Both Jackie and Shadow, the female eagle’s longtime mate and faithful co-incubator, have been leaving the eggs alone for significant amounts of time in recent days.

Wintry weather, and the potential for predation by ravens, have remained at the forefront of fans’ minds as they view the eggs sitting in the nest bowl on their own, with no adult bald eagle in view (though Jackie and Shadow may still be near).

But “TTE” is the inspiring catch-acronym of the moment, a quick and uplifting way to remind people to “Trust the Eagles.”

And regular commenters on the Youtube page helmed by nature advocacy group Friends of Big Bear Valley are doing just that: Trusting the age-old process of bald eagles creating new bald eagles.

Well, fingers crossed, at least.

Or do we mean “talons crossed”? That seems like a more hope-filled note to fly out on, rather than calling Pip Watch 2023 a “talon-biter.”

Whatever becomes of this current clutch of eggs, if they hatch or if Jackie and Shadow produce a new clutch later this spring following the non-hatching of unviable eggs, viewers know it is a gift to respectfully observe this incredible event from a distance.

It’s a distance, though, that seems quite short as nature lovers from around the planet continue to connect with each other as they enjoy the eagle family and their many adventures.