Posted by Paul Bithorn on May 08, 2002 at 17:28:01:
A group of 11 birders spent today, Wednesday, May 8, 2002 looking for the Zenaida Dove in North Key Largo. I arrived at 8:00 a.m., but two birders were there as early as 7:00 a.m. We split our time between Valois and
Marseilles St. with little luck. At about 11:00 a.m., Dr. John Shrader and his wife Karen, from Kettering, Ohio, had the bird fly directly over their heads and head west to the Gulfstream Shores neighborhood. We drove the area but came up empty.
The Shraders were standing on Marseilles St., directly across the canal from 133 Valois St. They stated that the bird jumped up from the bank of the canal which is terraced before flying over their heads. They gave an excelIent description of the bird.
I walked to the waters edge through a vacant lot, which Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) may have purchased and revegetated with native West Indian species or the Florida Keys Nature Conservancy, which is very active, may have taken on this project. I walked south along the canal and several Mourning and Common Ground Doves were feeding in the 8 ft. wide
terraced area, which cannot be seen from the dirt road (Marseilles). I suspect the Zenaida feeds in this area or in the terraced area across the canal before choosing to perch on the electrical wires.
The area is not posted by DEP as an environtmentally sensitive area, but it might be a good idea to check at the DEP District 5 headquarters, which is on your left as you enter Valois St. to make sure that this area is legally accessible to walk along. It may now be a part of the North Key Largo Botanical Site, many areas of which require a special permit to walk on.
Buck & Linda Cooper, et al. were still there when I left at 1:00 p.m. Bring plenty to drink and sunscreen is highly recommended. Life is good................... even during the "Dove Days of Summer."