Dimitri, some more good news

Dimitri and I are reading each other a little better I think. Of course, he's read me perfectly from the start. I'm the one who has to interpret his body language. We have made some progress. We are c/t'ing sometimes. He's even targeting a chopstick. It was interesting to watch him learn from Tachimedes. Tach is very motivated to earn his quarter sunflower seed. Tach was on a lower branch. He caught on quickly and was very keen. Then I tried Dimitri. Admittedly he had done it before but in hindsight I don't think he made the connection like he did yesterday (and today). He has stepped to the right, to the left, stretched up and stretched down to earn his treat. Most of the c/ting was just so he'd target without having to exert himself at all. When he seemed to understand I asked for a little more. He shows clearly when he's had enough by walking to the end of the branch and starting to climb. Today we've done some more and I'm quitting before he walks away. I want him to be keen.
I also sat with him an hour or so and read. Just read. I'd glance at him occasionally and although I sat near him that was all I did. He actually moved down to the fork and sat. Dare I think it was because he wanted to be a little closer? I think I do dare. Yes, he moves away if I move too near him with what he regards as intent (although I am very clear now about not intending anything and what he at first perceives as intent he quickly realises is only me doing chores) but he is also quick to resume his place when he understands I am ignoring him.
I read Sally Blanchard's article on patience and how she tamed one of her birds - a cockatoo I think. She stressed the importance of lowered head and lack of eye contact. She eventually won the bird over so that he stepped up onto her hand. She did this by putting a perch in front of her cage with treats in it. The bird learned there were treats and eventually used her hand as a bridge to get from the perch back into the cage.
I've been trying to think of a way to get Dimitri onto my hand. There is a screw in cup for the t-stand which I can use but I think the heights differ from the t-stand to the cage. Perhaps I could target (much later) for Dimitri to step across my hand on the tree stand to get to the treat. If he gained confidence that way (and human moveable skin must feel very different, in addition to the other challenges of just trusting the hand) that might work. But I don't want to jump the gun and ask too much too quickly. All of this will have to wait until he routinely stays in position when I enter the room. When he is fully relaxed about my presence we can move onto something else.
In the past I've been disheartened by our lack of progress. No doubt in the future we will have days or moments when we seem to revert back to former fears and anxieties. But I must remember that we are making progress, that when I look back to how he was a month ago, we have come a long way. I think how he behaved in the surgery started me off on the wrong foot. I believe Dimitri was so overcome with all that had happened to him, all that he was currently experiencing (lots of people, strange noisy environment, handling) he just shut down and behaved like a bird that had had lots of interaction with people. Once he came home and lived with us for awhile all the normal behaviour of a fresh caught wild bird re-emerged. Of course, there is part of me that believes he had some good human contact before he came to the surgery. Although he threw himself off perches and was very afraid, he wasn't as afraid as I've seen some wild caught galahs behave. Then too, maybe it's just him. I dealt with another corella (since released) who was wild and very very fearful.
One other thing before I close. Dimitri has started to vocalise a little more. He has been quietly hooting for some time now in the mornings. Today he actually honked a little. Algernon was nearby and perhaps that triggered it although he's never shown much interest in Algernon before. Algernon is often here making noise. Anyway, I think his willingness to draw attention to himself by honking is a good sign.