Day 7- My newly acquired male Red Tail (Tazer) FINALLY ate something tonight. He took a 1/2 mouse from my free hand. He let it hang for about 2 minutes. When he knew it was cool to devour it, he worked it in without hesitation. Being a brand new apprentice, I started wondering (worrying) if he was ever going to eat. He was kind of heavy when trapped (1070g). He's down to 958 now and has a very cool temperament. He still bates once or twice a day, mostly right when I walk in the mews. However once he's on the glove, I can walk around with him, feel his keel (which is sharp), touch his feet and adjust his anklets, weigh him multiple times if I care to, etc. I'm hoping tomorrow he'll take the other half the mouse off the glove. After that, I'll progressively move further and further back with the whistle, a tap on the glove and a half mouse. Once I get out 20 feet, I'll move back in with turkey neck strip tidbits and start the progress over. Tazer was VERY reluctant to take any food from me for a week. I guess all birds have their own personality. However, just having the opportunity to spend time with this creature is mind boggling. Everybody that stopped to take a look can't believe that something that was so wild a little over a week ago can just sit there without trying to escape and take my eyes out. Truly an awesome experience. I can't wait until the training really takes off. Taking that first meal from my hand is an experience worth remembering.

Yancey Duplantis
South Louisiana