Gualala Arts Lecture Series presents:
Intimacy with the Wild Ones

with Bill and Tina Hodge
Monday, October 5, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Admission is $5

Bill and Tina Hodge's talk, slide show and live bird demonstration entitled "Intimacy with the Wild Ones" on Monday, October 5, 2009, 7:00 p.m. at the Gualala Arts Center not only recounts amazing stories of how they rescue, rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned wildlife, but also how this work integrates into a way of living gently on the planet. They will be accompanied by their intense red-eyed educational bird, Silica, an adult female Goshawk.

When residents of Point Arena, the couple, who are Wildlife Rehabilitationists licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game, began their work and service of rescuing injured birds and animals. Then, in the early '80s they moved to Modoc County near the appropriately named town of Eagleville, where their work continued as they lived off the grid, raised a family and literally grew an herbal products business.

One recent rescue involved a female Golden Eagle that had been hit by a truck and became entangled in the large rearview mirror. Their daughter Tierra managed to free the bird and get it to her parents for stabilization and critical care, before taking it to a wildlife vet in Oregon. Unfortunately, after surgery and ten weeks of nursing, they had to euthanize the animal.

But many other raptors such as Bolu, a young Golden Eagle who is featured on their website, www.eaglepeakherbals.com, have been successfully nursed back to health. They have had the honor of caring for creatures as diverse as badger, bobcat, marmot, deer as well as most of the raptor family. They care for 2 to 5 eagles per year, and have begun a project to build a huge eagle flight conditioning aviary.

This structure will provide a safe environment where the huge birds can relearn to fly and rebuild their atrophied muscles before being returned back into the wild. They have chosen to locate this aviary in a spot that the birds can see 60 miles into the distance without lights or other signs of humans.

Eagle Peak Wildlife Care is supported in part by their family business, and they occasionally receive financial help from U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for some rare and federally protected species. In addition, they rely on the help of individuals who are moved to support specific projects and to assist in this worthwhile cause.

Come and learn more about the work of this dedicated family that possesses a healing touch. A $5 admission fee will be collected at the door.

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.