Al Lopez Park

Birding / Hiking / Adventuring Roadtrip Info

ROUGH DRAFT

Andrew Thoreson
Aug 2017

What's It Like
Kind of Birds
Wildlife
Ammenities
Time Needs
Experience

Typical view [?]

Photo Galleries

Typical View (12)

Snapshots! (4)

GRADES: Click each for info, = Note*
How Big	Not Rated
Importance	Not Rated
Revisit?	Not Rated
Birding	C
Wildlife	D
Summer Heat	B
Terrain	B
Fun Hike	C
Maintained	B
Mosquitos	B
Biting Files	A
Ticks	A

LOCATION: Accuracy: Read me

On Big Map: Click map (or on google maps). Address: 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, FL, Hillsborough, USA, 33614

5 CLOSEST (Map)

Miles	Location
2.4	Lowry Park ZooTampa
3.7	Cypress Point Park
4	Pam Callahan Nature Preserve
4.7	Ben T. Davis Beach and Causeway
5.6	McKay Bay Nature Park

OFFICIAL INFO:

It's a barbecue and jogging park with some egrets and herons around a pond. If you want to take pictures of anhingas or be around some trees and people it's a quick fix but I wouldn't expect much more.

2) Kinds of Birds

Egrets and herons and maybe some wrens, thrashers, or cardinals. Plus typical city birds like blue jays and mockingbirds. So - not all that exciting.

3) Wildlife

Squirrels, raccoons, opossum - same thing you can see in any yard in Tampa. Turtles at the dock at the pond. I don't think this place is dangerous but because so many people bring their little dogs here - small alligators have eaten smaller dogs here. So as with any lake/pond in the SE - if you have a little dog don't let him in the water and keep him on a leash.

4) Amenities

Lots of gazebos / shelters for barbecues, paved trail with joggers who don't want to make eye contact much less return your hello (as is the case with anywhere in Tampa), bathrooms, there might be some kind of building - it's a good park in terms of that kind of stuff. Also there's a 66% chance of someone doing something loud - music or more likely the drone of a bouncy castle fan.

5) Time Requirements

You might be able to spend 45 minutes but it's just kind of fatiguing to be here in my opinion.

Experience

I think the Great Florida Birding Trail sometimes decides "great" relative to what else is around. It's great nice to have this park in the city - you might see herons etc while having a nice barbecue or jog... but I certainly wouldn't travel any distance to seek this out as if it was any kind of birding mecca. That said it's a long park, most of the trail is paved, there's a fairly large pond with turtles and alligators. As far as birds go - it's mostly herons and egrets though also some of the more interesting birds that you can see in the city - thrashers, maybe wren, cardinals. Not really much of a duck spot usually. You might almost forget you're in a city going off to the north but not quite.

Have More Info?

Tell Us We're Wrong!

Say Hello!

Suggest A Location!

Suggest A Topic!

All > Field Notes >