Emus named Stevie and Nicks escape from Scenery Hill farm
It seems that two wayward emus named Stevie and Nicks decided to take Fleetwood Mac’s smash hit “Go Your Own Way” to heart Thursday afternoon when they escaped from their enclosure at a farm near Scenery Hill to wander the countryside.
The birds belong to Aram Asarian, who owns his family’s North Bethlehem Township home on Crescent Road near Route 40 that he’s converted into a “gentleman’s farm” with chickens, peacocks and, of course, emus.
Asarian thinks a wild animal may have spooked the two juvenile emus, causing them to jump over the fence and escape while he was running errands in Washington. A neighbor called about 3 p.m. Thursday to tell him that Stevie and Nicks had disappeared, and they were last seen about an hour or so later when a person spotted them on a hillside near Route 40 and Route 519 in Glyde.
“They have a tendency to roam,” Asarian said of emus. “Thank goodness this is not an urban area. There are lots of farms, but it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
Asarian obviously is a big Fleetwood Mac fan, hence the names Stevie and Nicks, after the lead singer of the 1970s band, although both emus are males. They are only 4 months old, Asarian said, but they already stand nearly 5 feet tall.
Since they’re still juveniles, he kept them in a separate pen on his farm away from a third emu named Amelie, which he’s had for the past two years. Amelie was still frolicking happily in her pen Friday afternoon, appearing blissfully unaware of the two escapees.
“Something must’ve startled them,” Asarian said. “And they’re ‘teenagers’ so I guess they’re out on a dangerous adventure.”
Emus are the second tallest species of bird on the planet and can be imposing when looking at them eye-to-eye. But Asarian said his emus are docile and friendly, even to strangers.
“I’ve raised these guys since they were babies. so they’re friendly,” Asarian said of their demeanor. “They’ll eat spinach right out of your hand.”
Asarian, 38, grew up in North Franklin and Scenery Hill, and eventually moved to New York City. The fine artist and graphic designer returned to Washington County in 2012 and settled down on his family’s 27-acre property in North Bethlehem Township, converting the house into a studio for his professional work and using the land to raise animals as a hobby.
“I find it very fascinating,” he said of his gentleman farmer’s lifestyle. “I like taking care of the land and just realizing each bird has its own unique personality and behavior.”
He’s hopeful Stevie and Nicks come back on their own, and he’s read articles and online postings this week from experts that emus sometimes will return home. But he’s also concerned about the pair getting hit by a vehicle along the heavily traveled National Road corridor or being attacked by a coyote.
In the hours after they left, Asarian contacted state police to notify them of his missing emus and posted social media messages on Instagram and Facebook asking for the public’s help in locating them.
Trooper Forrest Allison, a state police spokesman for the Washington County barracks that is just a stone’s throw from Asarian’s property, said they’re somewhat accustomed to capturing unusual animals, such as ostriches. Allison said Asarian told them that these missing emus are friendly, so people can attempt to capture the animals themselves or contact state police to notify them of their location.
“So, it sounds like they’re on a field trip,” Allison said of the adventuring emus. “We’ll go down (if contacted about their location) and keep an eye on them and we’ll corral them.”
Anyone who spots Stevie and Nicks is asked to call state police at 724-223-5200.