Peacocks popping up around Monroe

MONROE - It seems ornithology textbooks may need to be rewritten to include the newest habitat for peacocks. It looks like deciduous rainforests and jungle areas near water are no longer the only habitats for these majestic feathered turquoise creatures native to India, Congo, Burma, Ceylon and Java. They are popping up all over Monroe. A story in last week’s Photo News chronicled the return of “Nutty Kevin,” a peacock belonging to Town of Warwick resident Linda Hickey. The bird, who taught children in the Aquarius Street and Jupiter Drive neighborhoods of Monroe about the fine art of bird watching, was returned to his rightful owner after a circuitous adventure when he veered off course after walking beyond Hickey’s property. Two of the neighborhood’s children visited “Nutty Kevin” at Hickey’s home and left happy knowing he would remain safe and sound with Hickey’s other animals. Yet as they say in the infomercial business: But wait, there’s more. 'Flocked together’ Monroe resident Noreen Condon wrote The Photo News this week and told of her family’s encounter with a peacock this past Wednesday morning. “I live in Monroe on Orion Avenue,” she wrote. “Now, I’ve tolerated the snakes, surrendered the landscaping to ground hogs, bunnies and deer. I even have an air horn at my swing set for the bear and coyotes that occasionally visit (I have four pre-schoolers - it’s a must), but this?” Condon said neighbors on Berry Road have also seen three females roaming their neighborhood. Jennifer Starzec of Monroe also wrote the paper this week with her tale of peacock pleasantries. “I saw your article in this past week’s Photo News about the peacock spotted in Monroe and wish I had written to you sooner,” Starzec’s letter said. “On Sunday, May 29, we were doing spring cleaning on our deck and saw something we never thought we’d see in Monroe, New York; two bright blue peacocks came meandering out of the woods onto our property. We live at the end of a private road and the woods I am referring to back up to Camp Monroe.” Like others, Starzec thought the birds belonged to someone. “The peacocks were very tame and we figured they must be someone’s pet since we had the radio on, we were talking, taking pictures and throwing seed out to them for about a half hour before they decided to wander back into the woods,” she wrote. “But since seeing your article, I’m a bit upset because it seems as though perhaps one of them has not survived. The folks at the top of West Mombasha Road seem to have only seen one peacock at any given time and these two birds of a feather definitely 'flocked together.’” Peacock posse Hickey, who own 22 peacocks, is assuming those birds are hers. She was amazed and thrilled to learn so many were alive when contacted by The Photo News Wednesday night. As any anxious animal lover who is missing a pet would do, Hickey is planning to get over to those neighborhoods as quickly as possible with her own peacock posse. “I’m going to make sure to get a bunch of people and go over there,” she happily said. “It’s always easier with more people. I’m so appreciative that people haven’t been mean to them and I’m thankful people are feeding them.” Hickey asked anyone who has seen her missing birds to e-mail her at: alpaca6@optonline.net. She will quickly get in touch with them and go to their neighborhoods to hunt down the birds and return them home. Stay tuned.

I live in Monroe on Orion Avenue. Now, I’ve tolerated the snakes, surrendered the landscaping to ground hogs, bunnies and deer. I even have an air horn at my swing set for the bear and coyotes that occasionally visit (I have four pre-schoolers - it’s a must), but this?” Noreen Condon