Palm Island Park and adjacent Grantham Pointe in Mount Dora never fail when it comes to viewing Florida wildlife in its natural habitat. If you’ve never been there, what are you waiting for?
Florida Wildlife
Venetian Gardens
Seeking some solitude for reflection? Head out to Venetian Gardens in Leesburg! This unique city park features seven small islands connected by bridges. It’s full of wildlife and scenic landscaping. We saw the purple gallinule above just wandering across one of the bridges. The Venetian Gardens overlook Lake Harris (you can even catch a glimpse of tiny Monkey Island in the distance). Check it out!
Red-Shouldered Hawk
I saw this majestic red-shouldered hawk while I was wandering the hiking trails at Oakland Nature Preserve. The hawk was perched right above me, so I took some decent photos. However, several bikers on the West Orange Trail stopped to take a look and the hawk decided enough was enough and took off. According to the Audubon Field Guide, the red-shouldered hawk is “A hawk of the woodlands, often heard before it is seen. The clear whistled calls of this hawk are conspicuous, especially in spring; in the east, Blue Jays often give a near-perfect imitation of this call. Over much of eastern North America the Red-shoulder has become uncommon, sticking closely to the remaining forests. Populations in Florida and California are often more visible, perhaps adapting better to open habitats.”
What I’m Reading …
“Perfect to have in the home for budding animal enthusiasts, ideal for armchair adventurers and great for Florida transplants who are experiencing a whole new range of wildlife, [Florida Animals for Everyday Naturalists] will help readers appreciate the abundance of life right outside their doors.”
Starke Lake
Believe it or not, Ocoee does not have any nature preserves (yet), so there are only about two options available for anyone seeking out wildlife in the city: hit the West Orange Trail or visit 200-acre Starke Lake, which features an impressive variety of bird species, as well as a boat ramp and fishing pier. Check it out!
Eagle Nest Park
Ideally located in the MetroWest area of Orlando and adjacent to Eagle Nest Elementary, small but charming Eagle Nest Park offers the perfect locale for an afternoon stroll. Best of all, we spotted plenty of wildlife, including wading birds and turtles sunning (unfortunately, no eagle sightings this time out!). In addition, Eagle Nest Park serves as a trailhead for the Shingle Creek Trail.
Wandering Lake Lotus Park
I spent a perfect Friday afternoon strolling the scenic boardwalks of Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs and enjoying some rare Florida fall colors. I didn’t view much wildlife, but – just as I was wrapping up my hike – I spotted this beautiful alligator grabbing some sun on a log along the creek. What a treat!
Newton Park Wildlife
Just minutes from downtown Winter Garden lies Newton Park, a scenic lakefront park overlooking Lake Apopka that offers the perfect locale for Florida wildlife viewing such as alligators, turtles and a wide variety of bird species. In fact, we visit Newton Park a couple of times a week and have never been disappointed when it comes to viewing Florida wildlife in its natural habitat. Newton Park features a fishing pier, boat launch, playground and covered pavilion. Check it out!
Back to Lake Apopka
If you want to view Florida wildlife and social distance with little effort at the same time, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is the perfect choice! More than 360 bird species have been observed here and you are almost guaranteed to see at least a couple of alligators along the way as well. Note that the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 7 AM and 3 PM. In addition, the Wildlife Drive gets crowded during this time of year, so budget at least 1 to 3 hours for your outdoor adventure.
Turkey Creek Sanctuary
As soon as we left the parking lot and made our way through the entrance of 130-acre Turkey Creek Sanctuary and walked as far as the boardwalk, a light drizzle turned into a significant downpour and unfortunately we had to abort our hike. However, this well-maintained sanctuary looks like an amazing spot in Palm Bay to enjoy the great Florida outdoors and we will return soon! By the way, Turkey Creek Sanctuary was established in 1981 and features not only the 1.85-mile boardwalk, but 1.5 miles of jogging trails, a one-mile mountain bike trail, the Margaret Hines Nature Center and more. It is part of the East Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Wildlife that call Turkey Creek Sanctuary home include Florida cooters, manatees, alligators, otters, ospreys and owls.
Wandering Florida 