Training with the bald eagle named Petra

It's official, I'm training with Petra and Lisa is my mentor. You might remember that Lisa was my mentor with Gus the great horned owl. This is training that will take some time, you can't rush the process.

Lisa has been working with Petra for a couple years now. She's been one of my favorite presenters. Besides Petra she also presents Galin the great horned owl and Willow the magpie. She is the chairperson for the Education Committee and works in the Bird TLC Clinic on Sundays. She's a busy gal.

Petra has been with Bird TLC about 16 years now. She had an injured shoulder that left her non-releasable and avian pox. She is very vocal. Since One Wing and Ol' Witch passed away, she has become the boss of the mew yard. Even though she doesn't have a mate, every mating season she sets up a nesting area. She averages about 14 lbs during that time and drops down to about 12 the rest of the year.

This is pretty exciting for me. I started at Bird TLC in 2002 not wanting to work with any of the birds, just doing repairs and fundraising. Well, I still do that and also manage the flight center. I live with a snowy owl and a falcon, I also work with a great horned owl and now I'm training with Petra. There's a couple other task in there somewhere. Petra is an awesome ambassador for Bird TLC and I'm proud to be working with her.

For more photos of Petra, click here.