Dork the Emu’s fame continues to grow as followers grow more and more concerned as the harsh Minnesota winters beckons to arrive.
Dork’s disciples earnestly follow his own Facebook page and the posts are becoming more frequent — and panicked — as colder weather looms right around the corner.
However, Dork’s owner, Tom Berry, says nobody has anything to worry about as far as the elements. Dork has survived numerous Minnesota winters on Berry’s farm and he should have plenty of food sources despite the upcoming snow cover.
“He will be just fine,” Berry said Thursday. “He’s gone through winters before and look around you, there’s plenty of food for him all over the fields and woods.”
Dork was spotted in Downtown Big Lake Thursday afternoon and a follower quickly posted a notice that the Emu was near Riverwood Bank — looking to cross Hwy. 10. A short while later, sure enough, employees of the bank contacted the West Sherburne Tribune and dozens of people rushed outside to catch a glimpse of the six-foot, 120-lb. bird.
Finally Saw Him
This reporter heard the news also and high-tailed it to Big Lake to try and capture the big bird — only by camera. Coming upon a pickup truck pulled over to the side on Co. Rd. 5 south of the railroad tracks and to the East — a man was standing near a backyard with a heavy-duty rope in his hand.
“You looking for a big bird?” he was asked.
“Yeah, he’s not yours is he?” he asked in return. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Emu was heading towards Co. Rd. 43. Sure enough — there Dork was in all his glorious splendor, strolling along the tracks, in no hurry to get anywhere.
Dork eventually crossed the tracks and headed for the backside of the new Casey’s Gas Station when the man with the rope showed up and exited his vehicle. The man’s name was Rex Deutsch of Big Lake, who earlier in the day had exited a store and to his amazement, saw Dork run right by right in front of him. Rex was on his way to get a haircut but abandoned that idea in favor of trying to catch the elusive feathered animal.
Deutsch was joined in the parking lot by another concerned follower, Kelly Dombroske of the Becker/Clear Lake area, who brought a bag of dog food and tried coaxing Dork to the bag of food for easier capture.
Dork is smarter than that, right?
Deutsch tried in vain to lasso the big bird and Dork decided to break south and headed down the paved path of Co. Rd. 43.
Others started joining in, blocking Dork’s path to the road so that he wouldn’t get struck by passing cars. Eventually, Dork broke through the barricade and dashed right down the middle of 43 and found some woods to duck into.
By this time, owner Tom Berry arrived with a backseat full of pillowcases. He mentioned is still amazed at the coverage of the missing Emu, but said he understands people’s concerns for the bird and the upcoming cold weather.
“It’ll be okay,” he said. “Dork can burrow down in the corn or in a field and stay perfectly warm. I have no reservations about whether or not he can survive the winter in the wild.”
Deutsch, Berry, Dombroske and others continued their efforts of trying to nab the elusive Dork. As the day’s sunlight dimmed and the winds picked up, most of the helpers jumped into their vehicles and headed home. In the distance across cornfields to the east of the train station, Dork’s head could be seen bobbing up and down as he trekked onward.
“The best thing about all this is exactly what they said on the news program,” Berry said. “It’s a community thing. A spirit that people have and a hope that Dork eventually finds his way home.”
Dork appears to be indifferent about vehicles so Berry and his family encourage people to keep their eyes peeled for the Emu as he wanders through the county.
Dork’s Facebook page is called Dork the Emu and has over 1,400 subscribers and many more followers from all over Minnesota and beyond.
