Fort Cooper State Park offers three birding trails and five miles of guided walking trails. The Park staff has designated three areas on the north side of Lake Holathlikaha as birding trails. The trails are well developed and well marked. Benches are located along the trails for easy observation. The trails are a mix of sandy beach along the shore of the lake. Moving away from the lakefront along the trails the woodland is made up of hammocks of hickory, oak, magnolia, and sweet gum. Beyond the hardwood forest the land opens up to sandy upland forest of long leaf pine and turkey oak.

Fort Site Trail is at the western end of Lake Holathlikaha and is the site of the original fort. ADA Trail is the middle trail with paved paths and restrooms, facing the lakefront. Dogwood Trail loops around the eastern end of the lake and into woods.

Fort Cooper State Park is on S. Old Floral City Road, Inverness. Take US41 south from Inverness to Eden Road, left on Eden Road for one block, right turn on Old Floral City Road, follow signs to Park entrance. Entry fee required.

Fort Cooper State Park birding trails are easy walking trails. Over 125 bird species have been recorded during the year 2000 bird census. Spotting scope around Lake Holathlikaha is recommended for the many wading birds.

Start birding along the lakefront for sand hill cranes, limpkins, herons, egrets, moorhens, coot, possible purple gallinule, red wing blackbirds and swamp sparrows. Barred owls regularly nest around the ADA Trail. Bachman's sparrows are found in the area on the north of the Fort Trail at the Old Military Road. Listen for the sparrows call to locate them in the springtime.

Plan on several hours of good birding on any of the three trails. The ADA Trail around the recreation hall is a good place for spring warblers.

Photography by Bill Garvin