Lettuce Lake Park is an accessible and
pleasant park just outside the northeast
city limits of Tampa. A boardwalk winds
through the preserve to provide eyelevel
views of migrating birds in the
low trees as well as safe encounters with
alligators, snakes, and herons. If you
look up in spring and summer, you may
spot swallow-tailed kites gliding above.
Other raptors that call this swampy
forest home are the red-shouldered hawk
and barred owl. Songbirds such as the
colorful northern parula and prairie
warbler also can be found. One of my
favorite birds at Lettuce Lake Park is the
limpkin. These ibis-like wading birds can
be found throughout South America, but
are rare in the United States outside of
Florida. They are often found creeping
along the edges of ponds in search of
snails.
The limpkin is a wading bird that specializes in prying open
freshwater snails with its long, slightly twisted bill.
The common ground-dove is a
beautiful yet often overlooked
bird, perhaps because of its
diminutive size.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 151