24 August 2026
Hello Everyone,
We had a wonderful day. That said, it looks as if it will end with strong winds and a thunderstorm. I really hope we get some rain!
I want to send of SK Hideaways videos for the previous week – all here in one location. Thank you, SK!
SK Hideaways Videos, Week of 16 August 2026
FOBBVCAM Eagles ~ Big Bear Valley, CA ~ Shadow, Jackie (dec. 9 August 2026), Sandy, and Luna (last seen on camera 23 July 2023)
Courtesy FOBBVCAM | Friends of Big Bear Valley
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Wide View Cam (Cam 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41eq4VzCYc4
Live Recap & Observations: https://bit.ly/4wGjwVg
Shadow & Kaydee Awake Together on Roost Tree ~ Plan Day from Lookout Snag ~ 2026 Aug 22
Shadow and Kaydee overnighted on the Roost Tree, awaking with good-morning chortle-snortles and another stunning Big Bear sunrise. They perched on the Lookout Snag before heading out for the day. Included is our favorite capture of Shadow, Jackie, Sunny, and Gizmo on the Lookout Snag in June 2025 ~ forever in our hearts and mind.
Video: https://youtu.be/JTkgmXeUKlE
Shadow’s Afternoon Visit ~Kaydee Visits Nest ~ Roosts Alone ~ 2026 Aug 20
After waking on the Roost Tree with Kaydee, we saw Shadow for a couple hours in the afternoon on Twin Pines. But Kaydee was busy exploring and visited the nest tree for about 20 minutes, striking a stunning horaltic pose, before retiring to the Roost Tree. Tonight it was just Kaydee, as Shadow chose to roost elsewhere. We watch, learn, and trust the eagles.
Video: https://youtu.be/iEVdyFO8q5A
Shadow & KD-1 Keep Each Other Company, Morning and Night ~ 2026 Aug 18
Shadow and KD-1 began the day with several duets ~ seems KD-1 is learning to chortle. They came together in the afternoon, perching on Twin Pines for hours before, perhaps, a trip to the fish café. Shadow returned after dinner and remained until roost time, where he and KD-1 met again on the roost tree. KD-1 made a quick trip to the nest before returning to roost overnight.
All the while, Jackie is in our hearts and minds, as she always will be.
Video: https://youtu.be/dRcazZ1Jk3k
Fraser Point Eagles ~ Santa Cruz Island, CA ~ Cruz, Andor, Sasha (hatched 3/28), Zuma (hatched 3/30), Ryder (hatched 4/1)
Courtesy Institute for Wildlife Studies | explore.org | Fraser Point Eagles Cam Ops
Nest Cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY4V_AppZ6s
Cruz & Andor Home to Roost at Last ~ Kids Off to College ~ 2026 Aug 15-16
After weeks of watching an empty nest, straining our ears to hear the odd juvenile squee or adult chortle, fans themselves squee’d to see Andor and then Cruz arrive at the nest to roost overnight. It was much-needed joy after a difficult week of loss with the passing of beloved eagle Jackie from Big Bear. Hope seeing Cruz and Andor brings some comfort to all who need it.
Video: https://youtu.be/HhW2J1Vs–c
Sydney WB Sea Eagles ~ Australia ~ Lady, Dad, SE37 (hatched 13 August), and SE38 (hatched 14 August)
Courtesy Sea-EagleCAM@BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park (https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html)
Nest cam also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4pdgy3-U0
SE38 Uses SE37’s Food Coma to Get Private Feeding ~ 2026 Aug 20With SE37 firmly established as the alpha eaglet, SE38 is taking their position as beta eaglet very seriously and doing a great job. When SE37 fell into a food coma, SE38 inched their way up the nest, where Lady was nibbling on a nice, big fish, and got a private feeding. SE37 awoke after the feeding was done, but still gave SE38 a bop on general principle. SE38 shook it off and the two of them cuddled up to nap.
Video: https://youtu.be/YJUtWpuscss
SE37 & SE38 Cuteness Overload ~ But Pecking Order is Set ~ 2026 Aug 16Sydney White-Bellied Sea Eagles ~ Australia ~ Lady, Dad, SE37 (hatched 13 August), SE38 (hatched 14 August)
While we enjoy the fluffy cuteness that SE37 and SE38 bring, we also see that, at 3 days old, SE37 has established their dominance. This is expected and not malicious. SE38 will learn to avoid eye contact with SE37, become resilient, and show clever resourcefulness in getting plenty to eat.
Video: https://youtu.be/x-hHNirjBWA
The rarest of the raptors in the UK, the Montagu’s Harrier, has bred successfully for the second year in succession.
What a stunning image!
“Montagu’s Harrier, juvenile, Bangalore, India” by Cks3976is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Check this out from the BBC: https://bbc.com/news/articles/c7vgvvyr78eo
The RSPB gives lots of information on this rarest of the rare raptors that makes its nest on the ground, just like the Hen Harriers that are so persecuted.
I hope that you have had a wonderful start to your week. We will see you again soon, we hope.
Thank you to SK Hideaways, OpenVerse, the BBC, and the RSPB for today’s information included in this blog!