The 2026 record
Day by day, with sources
The factual record of Jackie's 2026 — the season, the rescue, and the twenty-three days at the Ojai Raptor Center — kept as it happened, entry by entry. For her whole life told as one story, read The story of Jackie.
- Part I · The season
- JAN 23 & 26
The first clutch
Jackie lays two eggs as the new season opens.
- LATE JAN
Ravens strike
Both eggs are breached by a pair of ravens — a heartbreak this nest has known before.
- FEB 24 & 27
A second chance
Jackie lays a second clutch of two eggs. The watch begins again.
- APR 4 & 5
Two hatches
Chick one arrives at 9:33 p.m. on April 4; chick two follows the next morning at 8:30 a.m.
- MAY 1
Sandy & Luna
Bear Valley third-graders choose the winning names from some 63,000 entries.
- JUN 28 & 29
Fledge days
Sandy leaves the nest first (an 'accidental flight'); Luna follows the next morning, landing in a tree beside Shadow.
- Part II · The rescue
- FRI · JUL 17
Jackie is found grounded
After an altercation with two subadult eagles — apparently over territory and food — Jackie is found on the shoreline at Dana Point Park, on the lake's northwest side, unable to fly. Residents and visitors stay beside her and go for help.
- FRI NIGHT
The fire crew stands watch
Captain Dennis Jones and the Fawnskin fire crew guard her for hours, keeping wildlife and onlookers away. FOBBV would later call everyone involved 'Jackie's angels.'
- SAT · ~2:00 AM
Rescue complete
The San Dimas Raptor Rescue Team of the LA County Parks Department arrives in the small hours and safely secures her.
- JUL 18–20
To Ojai, and confirmation
Jackie is admitted to the Ojai Raptor Center on July 18 for specialized care. Her identity is confirmed within days: it is Jackie.
- Part III · In recovery
- JUL 20–21
Stable, alert, eating
No fractures, no major wounds. Underweight but perching and eating with assistance. Full diagnostic results expected within days.
- JUL 22
Transfusion, and answers ruled out
A life-saving blood transfusion from a donor eagle named Spirit on July 22, and a CT scan that ruled out cancer, metal objects, and lead poisoning. Kidney values improving; the cause of her anemia remains unknown.
- JUL 25–27
A setback, then a rebound
Her blood values dip on Saturday, then climb again; her red blood cell count roughly doubles by Monday, though it's still below normal. No definitive diagnosis yet.
- JUL 29
Out of intensive care
The Ojai Raptor Center moves Jackie out of the ICU, where she needed oxygen support, into a regular hospital unit — an encouraging step, but ORC is clear she remains a very sick, critical patient.
- JUL 31
PCV rises to 17%; recovery framed in weeks, not days
ORC reports her red blood cell count has ticked up further, still well below normal, and says plainly that recovery will take weeks if not months while testing continues.
- AUG 3
A setback: PCV falls to 13%
After a week of gains, ORC reports Jackie's anemia has worsened; the cause is still unknown and diagnostic testing has stepped up.
- AUG 5
Advanced testing: CT scan and bone marrow biopsy
ORC performs a contrast CT scan, a bone marrow biopsy, and other diagnostics; Jackie recovers well from anesthesia. Her veterinary team, an advisory council, and outside specialists review the results together with her prior tests.
- AUG 7
Another setback: PCV falls below 10%
ORC reports her blood values have declined again and she is back in intensive care on oxygen therapy; condition remains critical.
- AUG 9
An unstable day: PCV falls below 6%, then rises to 9%
ORC calls it an incredibly difficult 24 hours. Jackie's PCV drops below 6% before a small rise to 9%; her condition is unstable and critically serious, with a nine-veterinarian team and federal and state wildlife agencies involved.
- MON · AUG 10
Jackie dies
The Ojai Raptor Center says Jackie died in the early hours of the morning after more than three weeks of intensive care. Her condition had continued to deteriorate despite treatment; the cause of her anemia has not yet been announced, and her remains are now in CDFW's care.
- AUG 11
CDFW's fuller statement: a blood clot, and her remains head to the National Eagle Repository
CDFW and ORC's own FAQ say Jackie developed a blood clot in her wing and near one kidney in her final days, alongside liver abnormalities, lung abnormalities, and an inadequate bone marrow response; despite extensive testing, no single definitive cause was ever identified. Following a necropsy, her remains will go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Eagle Repository, which distributes eagle remains to tribal members for religious and cultural use.
- Part IV · After
- AUG 6
A banded visitor appears
A banded sub-adult eagle is first seen on the cams in the habitat and begins perching near Shadow in his favored trees.
- AUG 10
Jackie dies; the visitor comes to the nest
Hours after Jackie's death is announced, the banded sub-adult — later identified as KD1 — visits the nest itself for the first time.
- AUG 13
KD1 is named, and steps into the nest with Shadow
The Orange County Water District confirms the visiting eagle is KD1, banded in the Prado Basin in March 2022. That afternoon Shadow enters the nest for the first time since July 23, with KD1 following; she briefly preens his wing feathers before the two fly off together.
- AUG 14
"You've Got A Friend"
Shadow and KD1 spend several relaxing hours together at the Twin Pines, per FOBBV's Eagle Log, which closes by remembering Jackie.
- AUG 16–18
Three nights roosting together
KD1 and Shadow settle into the Roost Tree together overnight on Aug 16, Aug 17, and Aug 18 — their closest, most sustained time together yet. FOBBV says nothing about a bond is confirmed, and nesting season doesn't begin until September 1.
- AUG 19
KD1 is named Kaydee
FOBBV gives the visiting sub-adult a name, Kaydee, saying it normally waits until a visitor has been around long-term but is making an exception. The pair sing a morning duet, spend about three hours together at the Twin Pines that afternoon, and roost together again that night — a fourth straight night in the Roost Tree.