The preserve is next to Douglas Manor, an affluent neighborhood of pristine frame houses, trimmed lawns and obelisk-shaped hedges.

Douglas Manor will be the third historic district in Queens.

Douglas Manor was incorporated in 1906.

Zoning laws prevent multi-unit residences in Douglas Manor, where only a handful of homes are rented.

"Last year, we didn't know it was rare," she said during a walk around Douglas Manor, where a dead bird was discovered this week.

Summer mornings are quiet in Douglas Manor, a hamlet of country living within New York City lines.

Douglaston's most sought-after neighborhood is Douglas Manor, where winding, hilly streets, many private, are lined by large houses.

Douglas Manor, founded in 1906, is the community's oldest neighborhood.

Beginning in 1906, Douglas Manor was developed as a suburban community for the well-to-do with prominent architects of the day designing many of the houses.

In the view of Mr. Padavan, the marina at Douglas Manor already serves local needs.