This 436.53-acre bird reservation and sanctuary offers a wilderness escape in an urban environment and is an international attraction for bird-watchers. Historically documented as a village of the Ais Indians who disappeared around 1720, it is a natural lagoon and bird rookery linked with canals created for mosquito control and surrounded by a manmade dike. A trail on the dike provides access to the waterways for the fisherman, birdwatchers, and paddlers. A birdwatching tower offers a scenic overlook of the lagoon. Projecting into Sykes Creek at the southwest corner of the park is a fishing pier commonly known as the Old Humpbacked Troll Bridge. Although troll sightings are rumored, visitors are likely to view dolphin and birds such as the wood stork, belted kingfisher, and white or brown pelican. Alligator dormant season is October through May, however, visitors are advised to be cautious year-round.
