Best Bird Show Ever

Matilda is a serious regular at the Zoo's Bird Show. She knows all the birds by name and species, knows who comes out when, notices if something in the routine is changed, and never tires of watching it. Last week when we were there for the special "hawk talk" she surprised the trainer by announcing to her (we were in the front row) "that's Nima, the African Fish Eagle" before the trainer had a chance to start the presentation. This was more impressive to the trainer since Nima is a new bird that we only see on occasion as she's training to become a permanent fixture in the show. 

A regular part of the show is when Blackjack, a raven, is brought out on stage to demonstrate how well he can find a hidden soda can. The can is always hidden by a young volunteer, chosen from the audience. For months now Matilda has been squirming in her seat, raising her hand and saying "I want to volunteer for Blackjack" for the entire 5 minutes leading up to that segment. Usually the trainer chooses kids that are a bit older, but finally yesterday Matilda got her chance with the bird! She ran right up there once chosen and never hesitated, it was so fun to witness. The video only shows the portion where M is on stage and I do wish I had thought to keep rolling so you could all witness Blackjack's skill. He found the can in seconds flat - maybe next time M can stump him better. Regardless, she was thrilled.