The return of Pablo: Shelter Island’s wayward peacock brought home

After seven tries over the past three weeks to capture Pablo, the AWOL peacock, and bring him back home, Shelter Island Animal Control Officer Jenny Zahler has succeeded in her mission.

As we have reported, ACO Zahler has many tasks and duties, but none more familiar than rounding up Pablo when he strays from his home at the Langendal family’s place in Westmoreland Farms. He lives there with, as ACO Zahler said, “His wife Pearl.”

She’s tried to lure him with treats, especially cantaloupe — “Peafowl kryptonite,” ACO Zahler said — but with little luck. Once, on a rooftop peacock call with Police Officer Glenn Kehl, who manages the department’s drone, he used the flying robot to try and herd Pablo off the roof.

“He ignored it,” ACO Zahler said. “And us.”

Pablo seems to enjoy the chase and eluding those in pursuit. And doesn’t take kindly to being taken into custody. When ACO Zahler does manage to locate the peafowl, he often puts up a strong struggle or flies away.

A few days ago a call came in from Bonnie Harris who lives on Bootleggers Alley. “The call started, ‘You’re not going to believe this,’” ACO Zahler said, “the same way all calls do about Pablo.”

Ms. Harris reported that there was a peacock on her lawn.

The ACO called the Langendals and Mackenzie Langendal accompanied her to the location. But Pablo wasn’t ready to come home. He went down Nostrand Avenue. He flew over a hedge and landed next to a fence.

“We had a seine net that two people can use to try and capture him,” ACO Zahler said. “But I decided after awhile I’d just throw myself on him.”

She did. And has the soreness and stiffness in her arms to prove it: “He struggles. And he’s really strong. I mean really strong.”

When she brought Pablo back, the Langendall family were thrilled to welcome him home. So was wife Pearl, ACO Zahler said. “She seemed really happy to have him back.”