Big Bear eagle eggs expected to hatch soon
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- It's a bit of good news that people are watching around the world: the expected hatching of two bald eagle chicks in Big Bear.
Jackie and her mate Shadow have been taking turns minding the nest, since Jackie laid the eggs in early February. And their nesting has become a teaching moment for several classrooms.
The Big Bear Valley camera, operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley is trained on the bald eagle mother protecting her eggs, which are expected to hatch soon.
In fact, late Thursday the camera picked up cracks appearing in one of the eggs.
Fifth and sixth grade students at Santa Susana Elementary School in Simi Valley have become enthralled with watching the camera right in their classroom. The students have even given the mother bird their own name, "Chuckie."
While the bald eagle is no longer considered an endangered species, the birds, their nests and roost sites are still protected under multiple federal laws and regulations. The students in this classroom join nature lovers taking in the breathtaking beauty of getting a front row seat to watch this mother eagle prepare her eggs to hatch.
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"We've just been watching them. We do research on them. We've done some writing. The kids drew pictures of them and so we've had a good time with them," said teacher Nancy Lachman.
"They are just so excited to make sure that those eggs are going to hatch eventually so it's been a wonderful experience for them," said educator Victoria Hartkop.
The students have been able to use their skills in math, reading and writing to try to pinpoint when the eggs might hatch.
"Well I think we've been able to bring a lot of parts on the curriculum through this eagle and we've done some math figuring out when they are going to be born," said Lachman.
This is one lesson these students will remember for a lifetime.
