As a followup to our wonderful Photocamp in January we are getting together for a morning plus lunch outing at Robinson Preserve in Bradenton on April 25, 2021 at 9 AM.

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This is a terrific park with many photographic opportunities.

I made a visit to check it out and was blown away and, I only saw part of it! I carried my long lens for birds and my wide angle on the infrared converted camera for landscapes. There were some birds but I spent most of my time shooting landscapes.

The Observation Tower was a fairly short walk from the main parking lot but it is several stories high. There are decks on the lower levels so you can see some of the salt marsh from the lower levels. From the top deck you can see the Skyway Bridge and get an overview of the entire preserve.

The salt marsh has a great variety of plant types and there are long boardwalks and many bridges going over the marsh and small streams that flow in and out of the bay.

I even tried a little ICM with my iPhone and the Slow Shutter Cam app!

I have booked Pavilion #1 (below) that is adjacent to the parking lot and main trailhead at the 1704 99th St NW, Bradenton, FL 34209 entrance. If anyone wants to just hang out there it will be a pleasant spot and it is screened in. Also, everyone please bring a picnic lunch for yourselves and we can enjoy each others company at lunchtime. We will have the pavilion until 5:30pm so if you want to stay past lunch you are welcome to!

We will meet at the pavilion at 9 AM EDT. I will have maps of the preserve so you can decide which of the many trails you want to checkout. There is a long paved trail and some unpaved but fairly smooth crushed shell trails. The trail to the Observation Tower is mostly crushed shell.

Be sure to bring insect repellant and fluids for hydration!

We hope to see everyone there!

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Lynn W.

Some info from their website:

Tucked into the corner of northwest Bradenton, Robinson Preserve includes 679 acres of coastal grasslands, saltern, marsh, and mangrove habitat. These systems support a variety of rare wildlife, presenting careful observers with an opportunity to see roseate spoonbills, wood storks, white pelicans, bald eagles, and least terns in their natural environment. Sprouting up from the salty soil are a vast array of intriguing plants, including saltwort, glasswort, and succulent sea purslane.

Robinson Preserve offers visitors numerous ways to explore the coastal habitats. Scale the 40-foot tall observation tower for a view of four counties and five water bodies or check out the view from the camera in the Valentine House Visitor’s Center. Bike or roller blade on 2.5 miles of trail, and hikers can explore more than 5 miles of shell and coastal trails. For paddlers, Robinson Preserve’s 2.5 miles of blueways present a chance to navigate through mangrove tunnels, marshes, and more. The opportunities are endless.