FLASH (7/7/99)
Emu Sighting at Hur
About 80-years-ago Holly Kerby screeched his car to a sudden halt in
the Village of Hur, and announced with
halting speech that he had just seen a kangaroo cross the road as he
was coming up Pine Creek Hill. We all
laughed, since Holly had a tendency to see strange varmits in these
hills around Hur. I now want to apologize to the
late Holly Kerby, for a short time ago his daughter-in-law, Phyllis
Kerby, called to say that there was an ostrich or
an emu circling her house, and we'd better come out.
We did, and sure
enough, right there at the head of Pine
Creek Hill was this large bird, running and prancing around Phyllis'
front yard. A call to DNR resulted in some
information that the creature, whose owner is unknown, has been
wandering around the Calhoun hills for several
days. Officers have been unable to catch it. It was certainly a photo
op for The Hur Herald, with update to follow.
EMU SIGHTED IN VILLAGE OF HUR (7/8/99)
Update
Bird Travels Across Calhoun
Phyllis Kerby was napping on her couch when she heard a pecking on her
window in the Village of Hur. She rose to
investigate, discovering the large six-foot tall Australian bird
attracted to it's reflection. Phyllis called 911, advising
them that she was "not crazy and not drunk." Calhoun County dispatch
advised her that the Emu was for real and
had been sighted by other folks. The previous day the wandering
animal was spotted at the Duane Poling residence
near Grantsville. DNR officer, Tom Fox, said he had been receiving Emu
reports for about two weeks. "I haven't a
clue who might own it, but it may have drifted in from Braxton
County," he said. The first Calhoun sighting was in
the upper West Fork area at Nicut. He said other reports have come in
from Arnoldsburg, Crummies Creek, and
the Calhoun Park at Mt. Zion. Fox said the owner would probably want
the animal returned. "It would be best to
just leave it alone, for now," he advised.
Calhoun's wandering Emu
Dianne Weaver feeding "Big Bird"
HUR HERALD EDITOR'S NOTE: Dianne and I went out the road to
Phyllis'
house to see the creature circling
her house and pecking at her windows. I was reminded of Holly Kerby of
Hur, Phyllis' late father-in-law, who had a
tendency to spot unusual creatures, usually during darkness. He was
the skittish type. About 47 years ago, Holly
screeched his car to a stop in the Village of Hur and frantically
announced that he had just seen a Kangaroo on
Pine Creek Hill. "Hope my die, it had to be a Kangaroo," he said. We
all laughed. So, dear Holly, maybe we owe
you an apology. At the same spot, these many years later, your
daughter-in-law, Phyllis saw an Emu! This time we
have pictures.
CALHOUN EMU (7/12/99)
Chapter Three
It wandered across Calhoun County for two weeks, surprising and
entertaining each community. Chased by dogs
and people, and put into flight by oncoming cars. In a few quiet
moments folks settled down to fed it. This past
weekend it was lured by some corn into one of Charley Heiney's barns
between Hur and Joker and is currently
awaiting extradition to Braxton County. Calhoun Dog (Emu) Catcher,
Ron Gordon, said that the EMU escaped
from a petting zoo in Braxton after it caught on fire, and that the
owners "got excited about getting the bird back."
They are expected to come to Calhoun to complete the extradition.
Pro Hardware employee, Howard Johnson, was
the "corn man," instrumental in its capture. Actually, as Emus go, it
was quite friendly. NEXT:CALHOUN
EMU-The Final Chapter.
EMU: RUNNIN' WILD AGAIN (7/21/99)
Chapter Four
Calhoun's wandering Emu has been held captive pending placement for
several days in a barn on the Joker Ridge.
Mrs. Charles Heiney of Grantsville, who has developed a fondness for
the creature, reports the bird has been
"busted out" and is now on the loose again. The Heiney family captured
the six-foot bird since it roamed into the
Hur-Joker area a week ago. Several reports indicated that the
Emu escaped from Braxton County, and has traveled from Nicut to
Crummies Creek to Hur in the past three
weeks. Mrs. Heiney had planned on placing the creature on the Ball
Farm on Bull River in a high-fenced area. "I
would like to get it back," she said. So, if you spot Calhoun's
wandering Emu, give her a call at 304-354-7912.
CALHOUN'S EMU POPULATION DOUBLES
(7/27/99)
Chapter Five
The Continuing Saga
Calhoun's wandering Emu has been joined by a second critter, probably
a male. The last sighting was on Pine
Creek Hill above Grantsville last Saturday at the Raymond Starkey
residence. Starkey discovered the six-foot
birds in his pasture. One of the critters had his calf by the ear, the
animals "fighting" over food in a grain box. "It
wouldn't let go for about three minutes," he said. Starkey called 911,
and Sheriff Allen "Lash LaRue" Parsons
came to his assistance, roping one of the animals and leading it to
another field. Then both animals went into the
woods one more time. The staff of The Hur Herald is starting a fund to
place a TV head-cam on the creature, and
have an ongoing travelogue of the county live on the net. Last week
one of the Emus got "busted out" of Charles
Heiney's barn on the Joker Ridge by a "free the emu" person. Earlier
the critter spent time in downtown Hur at
the corporate headquarters of The Hur Herald after sightings on Nicut,
Crummies Creek and Phillips Run. Stay
tuned.
CALHOUN'S WANDERING EMU(S) (8/5/99)
Chapter Six
When we last saw Calhoun's wandering Emu it had found a soul mate at
the top of Pine Creek Hill and was
jockeying for food from a grain box with Raymond Starkey's calf. It
grabbed the calf's ear in a contest for the
grain, and did not want to let go. Starkey, unable to understand the
nature of the bird, turned to Calhoun Sheriff,
Allen "Lash LaRue" Parsons for help. Parsons roped one of the Emus and
placed it in Raymond's barn, ignoring
the prospect of the bird's powerful kick. The other Emu ran into
the backwoods of Pine Creek. Sheriff Parsons,
duty done, left the scene in his cruiser to return to Grantsville.
Moments later, the Emu kicked down the barn door,
escaping again. Parsons reported the Emu passed his cruiser as he
drove down the highway. Later, one of the
critters was caught by Bonnie Lemley's daughter on Northside,
Grantsville, who turned it over to the Emu Warden,
Ron Gordon. Gordon is now "holding" the subject in a pen at his house
near Orma, where he reports it is "good
natured and really likes dog food." Gordon says he has grown fond
of the critter. The other Emu, meanwhile is still
on the loose. STAY TURNED FOR EPISODE SEVEN?
CALHOUN'S WANDERING EMU, NOT
WANDERING
(9/22/99)
Chapter Seven
With cold weather
approaching,
fans
of Calhoun's wandering Emu, will be consoled by the news that it is in
safe captivity and shelter, eating five pounds of dog food daily, and
gaining
weight.
The lost Emu, which traveled
about
Calhoun much of the summer, is under the care of Emu Warden, Ron
Gordon
of Lower Nicut. "It's feathers are coming back," he said. "It is
really
a friendly creature, and even likes the puppies."
Gordon continues to grow fond of
the creature, but is open to placing it in a facility or at a farm
where
it can be enjoyed by the public. "I don't want it destroyed," he said.
"If such parties are interested, they should contact me." |
