Feature: Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park

Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park is one of the newest parks to open in southwest Florida offering another great opportunity to stretch your legs beyond the beaches.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above (image 1) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

While a pedestrian bridge has been proposed to connect the park to the "greenway" to its south, it is my belief that the idea should fail. Without this connection to Freedom Park, bicycle traffic will be minimized which is necessary for the visitor's ideal connection to a wildlife experience.

The American Goldfinch above (image 2) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Prairie Warbler above (image 3) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park officially opened on 6 October 2009. The average cost for each of its near 50 acres was an amazing $384,000 in taxpayer dollars. The park is bordered by a highway to its south and west, a golf course to the north and undeveloped land to the east.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above (image 4) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 5) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

Stormwater treatment is a primary purpose of the park. Water that is directed into a near five acre pond from the highways and surrounding neighborhoods is then redirected into a few other "water filters." These comparatively insignificant waters then enter Naples Bay and the Gulf of Mexico cleaner via the Gordon River.

The Orange-barred Sulfur above (image 6) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Palm Warbler above (image 7) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

This venue appears to be a boon for the seeker of wildlife. As the dust has cleared from construction activity at Freedom Park it's clear that a good diversity of creatures will at least make a pit stop for their sustenance.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 8) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 9) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

With great fortune I had the opportunity to observe and photograph a Broad-billed Hummingbird (BBIH), a rare visitor to Florida and Freedom Park. Wildlife aficionado Hemant Kishan described the BBIH here as a southeast Arizona specialty.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 10) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird above (image 11) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

Follow the list of species that are seen at this park, and reported to eBird, certain to exceed 200 in time. Additionally, Freedom Park will at some point offer a memorial to those lost on 9/11.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird above (image 12) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird above (image 13) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

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The Broad-billed Hummingbird above (image 14) was photographed at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in February 2016.

Food Fest At Little Estero Lagoon

Reports of Surf Scoter at southwest Florida Gulf beaches this winter were frequent, so I made an effort on 8 February to see one at Little Estero Lagoon.

The Black Scoter above (image 1) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The first bird seen this day was a Tricolored Heron that made a path from the south at the far North lagoon. It didn't offer a good photo-op. Nor did an Osprey that was collecting nesting material in the predawn light. The air was clear and cool with a breeze that picked up quickly after sunrise.

The scene above (image 2) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Black Scoter above (image 3) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Black-bellied Plover above (image 4) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Sanderling above (image 4) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 5) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 6) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The 1st winter Herring Gull with Laughing Gull above (image 7) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The 1st winter Herring Gull with prey above (image 8) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Mottled Duck above (image 9) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull above (image 10) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull above (image 11) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

Waders were relatively few in numbers as I walked south from the Wyndham Hotel. Black Scoters were observed immediately off shore. There wasn't a Surf Scoter among them as was hoped. All of the scoters in the group appeared to be sleeping except one that was actively preening. As the scoters awoke from their slumber, they would be seen catching up with me.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull with prey above (image 12) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull with prey above (image 13) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 14) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull above (image 15) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 16) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The 1st winter Ring-billed Gull above (image 17) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 18) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Mottled Duck above (image 19) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Semipalmated Plover with prey above (image 20) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Wilson's Plover above (image 21) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 22) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

Continuing the walk toward Carlos Point offered an almost surreal scene with many tens of thousands of shells washed up high on the beach. They offered a feast for the larger birds at hand that surprisingly had an occasional dispute over a small morsel.

The Little Blue Heron above (image 23) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 24) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 25) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Snowy Egret above (image 26) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Lesser Scaup above (image 27) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Willet with prey above (image 28) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 29) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 30) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Wood Stork above (image 31) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The American White Pelican above (image 32) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 33) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

A total of six American Oystercatchers were seen. Two had flown from the north too distant and quick to photograph as they had a quarrel or were possibly bonding. The other four that I saw at close range were all juveniles as indicated by the black on their bills which will disappear this spring.

The American Oystercatcher above (image 34) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Royal Tern above (image 35) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The American Oystercatcher above (image 36) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The American Oystercatcher with prey above (image 37) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Black Scoter above (image 38) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The juvenile American Oystercatcher above (image 39) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The juvenile American Oystercatcher with prey above (image 40) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Willet above (image 41) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The juvenile American Oystercatcher with prey above (image 42) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 43) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 44) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

One of the oystercatchers was banded with the code "YCT" identifying it as hatched in Queens, New York in 2015. The coordinates of the bird's capture available at the American Oystercatcher Working Group indicate the oystercatcher was banded at Rockaway Park. Thanks to Coastal Biologist Lindsay Addison for this information who is affiliated with Audubon North Carolina.

The Snowy Plover with prey above (image 45) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The banded juvenile American Oystercatcher with prey above (image 46) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The juvenile American Oystercatcher with prey above (image 47) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Red Knot above (image 48) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Ruddy Turnstone above (image 49) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Laughing Gull above (image 50) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Laughing Gull with prey above (image 51) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Willet above (image 52) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 53) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Mottled Duck above (image 54) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 55) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The walk, from the first step to the last, was rewarding on this day at the lagoon (as always). It won't be long before we see more evidence that the breeding season is soon to be underway as feathers will become flashier. One regret is that I was not able to photograph a Surf Scoter this day.

The Reddish Egret above (image 56) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Willet above (image 57) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 58) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The 1st winter Herring Gull above (image 59) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 60) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 61) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.

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The Great Blue Heron above (image 62) was photographed at Little Estero Lagoon in February 2016.