bird island

YES! A 10-acre plot of uninhabited land in the middle of Lake Butler was formerly known as Egret Island, designated as a bird sanctuary in 1958. It sits about 200 yards away from the shores of Downtown Windermere’s Fernwood Park, which has a boat ramp but limits parking to town residents only. However, it has become a bit of a party haven in recent years. Although trespassing is prohibited on the island, the shallow sandy bottom and warm waters around it invite anchored boats to raft off the shoreline. Any Butler Lake Tours customers who choose to attend must obey all posted signs and take all trash with them. It is heavily patrolled by law enforcement, but a safe rule of thumb is “ankles in the water”!