A new eagle eyes the Big Bear nest: meet KD1

Eagle watchers tuned into the Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream have a new bird to follow. A banded female bald eagle known to biologists as KD1 has been spotted inspecting the well-known nest overlooking Big Bear Lake, raising hopes — and questions — about the future of one of the valley's most beloved wildlife webcams.

KD1 was born in 2022 in the Prado Basin, a wetland area roughly 70 miles south of Big Bear Lake situated between Anaheim and Riverside[1]. At nearly five years old, she is approaching mating age, and her behavior so far has caught the attention of local wildlife observers: she has been seen on the FOBBV livestream closely inspecting the nest and spending time near Shadow, the resident male eagle[1]. Biologists note that young adult eagles ranging through the Big Bear area at this time of year is completely normal behavior[1].

The implicit backdrop to KD1's arrival is the apparent absence of the female eagle previously sharing the nest with Shadow — a bird the FOBBV community has long followed on the livestream. What happened to that eagle could not be confirmed from available sources, but her absence is what has left the nest's future uncertain — and KD1's courtship-like behavior is the most hopeful sign yet that Shadow may find a new mate.

No direct comment from Friends of Big Bear Valley, the wildlife biologists who banded and track KD1, or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was available at the time of publication.

What's next: Nesting season officially begins September 1, when observers expect to learn far more about whether KD1 and Shadow will commit to the nest together[1]. Residents can follow along on the Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream — search "Friends of Big Bear Valley" online to find the stream.