Sanctuary considered for tiny birds

The piping plover is a threatened species and a U.S. wildlife agency wants to protect its winter habitat.

By CHASE SQUIRES

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 19, 2000

The federal government is ready to hit the beach.

Under a rule proposed this month by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the beach around Anclote Key could be listed among 146 beaches across the Southeast as "critical habitat" for the tiny piping plover, a melodic shorebird that weighs less than 3 ounces.

With about 6,000 piping plovers in the United States and the bird on the Fish and Wildlife Service's list of threatened species, the plovers' winter beach homes are critical to the species' survival, said service biologist Patty Kelly.

Nearly 400 of the birds spend the winter in Florida, she said.

The federal habitat designation would probably have little impact on property owners across the Tampa Bay area, with most of the seven beaches under consideration in Pasco and Pinellas counties already under state control in parks and recreation areas.

But Perry Smith, manager of the Honeymoon Island park that incorporates Anclote Key, said he will study the rule to see how the designation might impact recreational beach users. It is possible some access could be affected, he said.

The ultimate goal, he said, is to protect all endangered creatures.

"We manage the recreation areas and keep the area for the people to use, but as a government agency our goal is to protect the environment," Smith said. "This is definitely a good thing."

The proposed rule would only govern areas where the birds nest and feed, between the shore line and the dunes at Anclote Key in Pasco County, as well as Three Rooker Island, North and South Honeymoon Island, Caladesi Island, and Mullet Key in Pinellas County as well as Hillsborough's Egmont Key.

But that area is critical to recreational use, with government approval required for all additional boat ramps, marinas, dredging and beach renourishment projects, if the proposed designation is approved.

"It's really very early for us," Smith said. "We're still reviewing this, seeing how it affects us."

If the state park service has to close some areas to beachgoers or boaters, so be it, Smith said.

According to the government, the rule would not impact private property owners unless a project would ordinarily require approval from a federal agency, such as the Army Corps of Engineers.

According to information appearing in the Federal Register -- a daily diary of federal agency action -- any stormwater runoff projects, beach excavation or renourishment, bridge construction, military projects or oil spill cleanups would come under Fish and Wildlife regulation if it would disturb the piping plover's feeding grounds.

Ken Tracey, president of the West Pasco Audubon Society, said a variety of plovers have been seen in the area, usually darting about the dry sand above the shore line.

"The plovers sort of scurry around with their heads up," he said. "A lot of times you can spot a plover when they start running. They'll just run and run and run down the beach."

While piping plovers are rare locally, their cousin, the killdeer, are seen frequently, Tracey said. But where the killdeer has two dark rings around its neck, the piping plover has one. The bird is sandy colored and matches its habitat.

"You could walk right up and step on one and never even see him," he said.

The nearest public forum for discussion of the listing is scheduled for July 21 in Fort Myers.

The proposed rule would include 1,672 miles along 146 beaches from North Carolina to Texas.

The Fish and Wildlife Service expects to make a final determination on establishing the critical habitats by Sept. 30.

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