Posted by Larry Manfredi on May 03, 2002 at 21:48:37:
Sorry for the late post! Today I found a Zenaida Dove in Key Largo at
11:00 a.m. which I shared with 4 other people. We had a total of 6
species of Dove for the day including White-crowned Pigeon! I received
a call from New Jersey birder Adrian Binns who found a Yellow-faced
Grassquit at the Dry Tortugas on Loggerhead Key yesterday. There is no
way to get to Loggerhead Key without a boat, the Grassquit was seen next
to the fountain near the residents house.
Directions for the Zenaida Dove:
Go south from Florida City on US1, take Card Sound Road which is a left
turn from US1. Go past the toll booth (one dollar, about 5 miles?) and
continue to the Intersection (about 2 miles?). Ocean Reef Yacht Club is
to the left, go right from this intersection 7.1 miles to power pole
223. Turn left here on Valois street then make your first right on a
dirt road to Marseilles street. Go left here, The Zenaida Dove was seen
on the sixth wooden power pole on your left perched on the lowest phone
wire. I would be cautious and park by power pole three then I would
exit the car and use Binoculars and or scope to find the bird. This is
an extremely rare bird and whoever is able to go and look for it
should!! If you don't see the bird on Marseilles street drive up and
down the two other streets and scan the wires. Also you can drive south
on 905 road just a few blocks away to Gulfstream Shores neighborhood,
drive up and down these streets and scan the phone wires. This area
today had a male and female Shiny Cowbird. There are many Mourning
Doves with young in both areas as well as Ground Doves and Eurasian
Collared Doves so be careful in your I.D.
We had great views of the Zenaida Dove through binoculars and a scope
from about 75 feet. I also took some distant photos which I hope will
document this bird. When I took photos, the bird flew not far to the
north, we then drove east on Marseilles street to its dead end and
turned around and came back. As we came near the sixth power pole the
Zenaida Dove was again sitting on the lowest phone wire! We drove by it
and it flew a little north to one of the two other streets. I tried to
call other birders on my cell phone but found that there is no service
in this area. I had to drive into Key Largo to get any phone service
which was not good. We eat lunch at a local restaurant and met three
Miami area birders who looked for the dove until around 4 or 5 p.m.
without success. I believe that this bird is still there and that it is
well worth the drive for anyone considering it. Early a.m. would be a
good time to try.
Good luck to all.
Larry Manfredi
Homestead, Fl.
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http://www.southfloridabirding.com