Lake Somerset Rookery and Bird Sanctuary

Love watching the sunset here

Love love love this place

Perfect. In town but out of this world destination for nature viewing, walking, jogging, fishing, or people watching. Bonus: I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to do any illegal behaviour, but the fireflies are beautiful in April and October! They can be found on the east end of the causeway in the retention pond between the toll plaza and the south finger lake. I really hope that mosquito spraying and the massive light pollution don't kill this tiny population off. I've been a nearby resident for 6 years and so enjoy this little, natural light show..... What truly should be crimes are that these magnificent insects are being killed off by poison, and that it's technically a violation (against city ordinance) to go into that area after the park closes at dusk, so you can't legally visit them.

My sister an hubby live on the edge of the santuary. Visited them a few weeks ago. Saw otters, gators (of course it is FL) egrets. Herons turtles. Not sure if there is a public area.