At Goodsen Lake you can see these fledglings cautiously getting a grip on the big world outside of their high stick nests. Of course, there are plenty of reptiles to revel at from the boardwalk that winds through the swamp world. Keep an eye out for the greenish rat snake, the cottonmouth moccasin, and a gorgeous array of water snakes. The American alligator has found a fine home in the lake where it sunbathes on logs and keeps cool on the shady bank across the way. Patient birdwatchers can catch a glimpse of a good number of accessible summer birds.
Great egrets move with inexplicable grace through the understory of the trees.
The prothonotary warbler teases and tantalizes with its sweet, sweet call and its striking yellow plumage. While canoe trips are not possible this summer because of the low water level, visitors looking for a cooler, more relaxed swamp experience might be interested in the Night Walk, held on the first Saturday night of August. The summer months have packed their bags with brand-new attire for Beidler Forest. Four Holes Swamp has escaped from its wet spring wardrobe, and the forest continues to create new clothing every day, transforming its decorative flora and fauna to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions. The general feel is a little more relaxed than the springtime, the living a little easier, but there is plenty to tantalize your nature-loving tastebuds.