Say hello to Spirit! Big Bear Lake eaglet has a new name
The naming contest for a baby eaglet has ended and the winning name has been announced!
Many News Channel 3 viewers have watched the live stream of the bald eagle nest at Big Bear Lake for weeks. An eaglet was growing before our eyes. It hatched just about a month ago and since then, we've seen the eaglet feasting on fresh fish and getting bigger by the day.
On Wednesday, Friends of Big Bear Valley announced the winning name in their Eaglet Naming Contest.
They announced there were 2,641 entries and a total of 9,963 names submitted. Spirit was chosen. Other prizes are being awarded in the contest for entrants whose names did not win.
While Spirit was the winning submission, judges appreciated some others as well. In second place, the name Lil' Dipper, and coming in third, Hunter.
Thank you so much for all of the awesome names you submitted and for your continued support and love for Jackie, Shadow, Spirit and of course all of the others that have called this nest home, Stormy, Simba, Mr. B and those that left us too soon, Big Bear Baby (BBB) and Cookie.
Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam
Watching the bird from egg to eaglet
The first pip was caught on camera on Wednesday, March 2. According to the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a non-profit organization that owns and operates the camera, pip is a short word for pipping, the first hole the eaglet makes from the inside of the egg.
Hatching usually takes a few days.
The mother, Jackie, a 10-year-old bald eagle, laid her first egg on January 22. The second egg was laid on January 25. It has not hatched.
The camera has been active for several weeks as Jackie and the father, Shadow, fed their little one.
The Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest camera is up and running 24/7. So you can always check in on Jackie, Shadow, and the two eggs.
Click here to learn more about the history of eagles in Big Bear and check out the FAQ section on the Friends of Big Bear Valley website.