semiotic_pirate | EMU ALERT!

First of all, I'd like to thank

surelle for already posting about seeing emus, though I doubt she was referring to the escapees. Second, try to read the following article using the Crocodile Hunter's overly serious voice...

Errant Emu Captured After 6 Weeks
3:55 PM EDT, August 17, 2006
By DIANE STRUZZI, Courant Staff Writer

CANTON -- A morning saunter into the yard of a local family today ended nearly six weeks of freedom for an emu named Louise.

Since July, Flamig Farm has been on the search for two emus that escaped the West Simsbury farm after being moved from one field to another off of West Mountain Road. There had been sightings in the area, even chases and near captures.

But the emus have been elusive.

That is until 11-year-old Patrick Sullivan heard his dog barking, went outside of his Canton home and saw a "huge bird."

"I came running in to tell my mom and everyone else," said Patrick, who is the oldest of four boys. "They all came out. They were shocked to see this bird standing out in our yard. It was just standing around, staring at my dog and looking around."

Patrick's mother, Susan Sullivan, said it was about 9 a.m. when the bird came for a visit. Her sons went outside to corral the bird, which is native to Australia. While it's flightless, the bird can run as fast as 30 m.p.h. First the family tried to lead it to a shed at their Trailsend Drive home. But it got scared, Sullivan said, and ran into the woods.

They fed it bread -- Freihofer's wheat bread -- and the bird soon walked toward a swing set, where the brothers were able to secure it by cordoning the area with a rope. At about 11:30 a.m., Nevin Christensen of Flamig Farm showed up with four helpers from the farm's camp.

"Slowly I walked up with a bucket of grain. The emu was calm enough," said Christensen, who grabbed it. His helpers secured the bird's legs with a rope because the legs can produce a swift kick. And Louise was brought back to the farm by truck.

Seeing the bird being taken into custody was a bit scary for Patrick. But in the end, he said, he enjoyed helping out the bird and the farm.

"I kind of enjoyed it, that I actually helped out with something, helped them get the bird to safety," Patrick said.

"It's been a very good end to their summer," she said of her boys, Patrick, 11; Ben, 9; Matthew, 8 and Michael, 5. "They all said they'll now have something to write about when they go back to school."

Back at Flamig Farm, Louise entered the field with Christensen's other two emus. She "seemed sort of resigned," he said.

The reunion wasn't anything big. The other two birds ran up and then ignored Louise, Christensen said, adding that Louise appears to be fine.

One emu remains on the lam. Christensen said an emu has been spotted not too far from where Louise was picked up. It's unclear if people were seeing Louise or the missing emu, Christensen said.

"The saga continues," he said.