On May 10, 2026, Jackie went talons up during a Mother’s Day that quickly turned wild at Big Bear. Instead of a peaceful day above the lake, Jackie and Shadow found themselves pulled into another intense nest-defense scene as ravens pressured the nest tree and a Red-tailed Hawk returned with talons extended.
For this eagle family, the holiday did not arrive wrapped in quiet. It came with warning calls, fast wings, and two devoted parents reading every movement in the sky.
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Ravens Harass Jackie Near the Nest Tree
Jackie first landed in the nest canopy, but she barely had time to settle before the ravens began their close passes. Two ravens moved around her repeatedly, strafing the nest tree and keeping the pressure high. Jackie stayed alert and vocal, holding her position as the commotion built around the family’s territory.
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Then Shadow flew from the front porch, and Jackie followed. The pair chased after the ravens, but the ravens did not simply disappear into the distance. They circled back into the action, and at one point, the pressure shifted toward Shadow.
It was one of those Big Bear moments where the entire nest tree seemed to hum with tension. The eaglets were low. The adults were alert. The sky had turned restless.
Jackie Goes Talons Up as Mother’s Day Takes a Sharp Turn
The ravens were already enough to keep Jackie and Shadow on edge. Then Jackie landed on the cactus snag, and the day changed again.
A Red-tailed Hawk entered the scene.
The hawk came toward Jackie with its talons extended, forcing her into an immediate defensive posture. Jackie adjusted, braced, and prepared to meet the threat. When the hawk swung around again, Jackie went talons up, using her powerful natural defense posture as the threat came too close.
The hawk then landed on a lower branch after one pass, but the encounter was not finished. It came back again, and Jackie answered again, lifting her talons before flying off. The whole sequence was fast, tense, and unmistakably serious. This was not Jackie looking for trouble. It was trouble coming too close.
Shadow Stayed With Sandy and Luna
While Jackie handled the pressure away from the nest, Shadow stayed close to Sandy and Luna. He was alerting from the nest area and watching the danger unfold as Jackie dealt with the hawk and the ravens continued to stir the air around the nest tree. Jackie and Shadow were not reacting wildly. They were dividing the work. Jackie confronted the moving threat. Shadow guarded the eaglets.
Sandy and Luna did exactly what young eaglets need to do during a dangerous moment. They stayed low and quiet in the nest, tucked down while the adults handled the commotion around them. That instinct matters. When threats are nearby, staying flat helps young eaglets remain less visible and less exposed. It was not a gentle Mother’s Day lesson, but it was an important one.
Why the Intruders Kept Jackie and Shadow on Alert
Ravens are intelligent, bold birds, and around an active eagle nest, they can be persistent. During nesting season, ravens may also be defending their own nearby territory or young, which can make the airspace around a nest tree even more complicated. Still, for Jackie and Shadow, the mission was simple: keep Sandy and Luna safe.
The repeated close passes looked relentless, especially with the eaglets still in the nest. The ravens may have been acting out of territorial pressure, defensive behavior, or their usual bold testing of boundaries. In the wild, motives can overlap like branches in a windstorm. Whatever the reason, Jackie and Shadow were left to defend their family through every pass, chase, and close call.
The Hawk Made the Day Even More Intense
Ravens are exhausting. A Red-tailed Hawk brings a different kind of tension. When the hawk came toward Jackie with its talons extended, the energy shifted immediately. This was no longer just noisy harassment around the nest tree. It was a direct attack on Jackie, and she answered with her powerful talons-up in a defensive posture that eagles rely on when a threat comes in too close.
Her talons-up posture was more than dramatic body language. It was a warning, a shield, and a ready defensive move all at once. Bald eagles rely heavily on their powerful feet and talons during conflict, and Jackie made it clear that the hawk had crossed too close for comfort. The hawk may have tested the area, but Jackie answered like a mother with no patience left for trespassers.
Jackie and Shadow Worked Like a Team
One of the strongest parts of this Mother’s Day scene was the teamwork between Jackie and Shadow. There was no wasted motion. No confusion that lingered. No hesitation longer than a breath.
Shadow stayed with Sandy and Luna while Jackie pushed back against the active threat. That takes discipline. It would be easy for an adult eagle to launch toward the commotion, especially with a mate being challenged nearby, but Shadow’s role in that moment was to hold the nest and protect the eaglets.
Jackie became the moving wall between the intruders and the family’s territory. She chased, warned, repositioned, and defended. Shadow guarded the nest. Sandy and Luna stayed low. Everyone had a role, and everyone played it.
Sandy and Luna Are Learning From the Best
Sandy and Luna are still young, but days like this are part of their wild education. They are learning the sound of alarm calls. They are learning when to flatten down and they are learning that danger can come from above, from the side, and from nearby trees.
Most of all, they are learning what eagle parents do.
Jackie and Shadow are showing them that nest defense is not always one dramatic strike. It can mean staying put, chasing ravens away from the nest tree, holding the nest while a mate faces a hawk, or knowing when to be loud and when to stay still. Those lessons will matter more and more as Sandy and Luna grow stronger.
A Fierce Mother’s Day at Big Bear
By the end of the encounter, Jackie and Shadow had once again shown why this nest continues to carry so much heart. The ravens pressed in. The hawk came too close. The day turned loud, tense, and wild. But Sandy and Luna remained protected.
Jackie may not have had a peaceful Mother’s Day, but she had a defining one. She went talons up against a Red-tailed Hawk, helped chase ravens from the nest area, and worked with Shadow through another intense chapter at Big Bear.
There were no flowers and quiet brunch in this treetop Mother’s Day story. Just wind, wings, warning calls, and one fierce eagle mother making it clear that her family was not undefended. ❤️
The Friends of Big Bear Valley make this live cam experience possible. This video was captured by Lady Hawk on youtube.
FAQ
Why did Jackie go talons up?
Jackie went talons up when the Red-tailed Hawk came toward her near the cactus snag. This posture is a strong defensive response that allows an eagle to warn off or strike at a close threat.
Who were the intruders at Big Bear?
The intruders in this scene were ravens and a Red-tailed Hawk. The ravens pressured the nest tree and surrounding area, while the hawk came toward Jackie with talons extended.
Did the ravens attack the nest?
The activity happened around the nest tree, canopy, nearby perches, and nest territory.
What was Shadow doing during the hawk encounter?
Shadow stayed alert near Sandy and Luna while Jackie was confronted by the hawk. His role was to guard the eaglets and monitor the danger from the nest area.
Why did Sandy and Luna stay low in the nest?
Young eaglets often stay low and quiet when danger is nearby. This helps reduce exposure while the adult eagles respond to threats around the nest.
Was the Red-tailed Hawk a serious threat?
A Red-tailed Hawk near an active eagle nest is taken seriously by the adults, especially when eaglets are present. Jackie’s immediate talons-up response showed that the hawk had come too close for comfort.