A Fall Day in the Florida Salt Marsh

Observation Tower Robinson Preserve, Florida

It’s fall in Central Florida. This means azure blue sky, low humidity and moderate temperatures. On this day we visited the Robinson Preserve in Manatee County. The Gulf breeze brought refreshing cool air to the salt marsh, attracting numerous people to enjoy the recreational benefits of the salt marsh.

We talked to one couple that had completed a loop of the marsh in kayaks. They told us of seeing roseate spoonbills, bald eagles and a family of raccoons. The kayak vendor informed us the masked bandits feed in that section of the marsh every morning to chow down on clams.

We unpacked our picnic basket of leftover turkey sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies next to the dark blue water, and watched the leaping mullet. Overhead osprey circled and chirped. Only a few clouds adorned the sky so we decided to put on sunscreen, but we skipped the DEET. We hoped the wind would keep the mosquitos at bay.

A Stampede of Fiddler Crabs

After lunch we passed through the marsh on our way towards the mangrove swamp boardwalk. At one of the ponds, we witnessed a large collection of male fiddler crabs. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

We climbed the observation tower to get a better view of the surrounding marsh, the Gulf and the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Many kayaks and paddleboards floated on the open water at this point. People are discovering the many recreational opportunities offered by the salt marsh. It's important to ensure the conservation of these wetland areas that fish and birds rely on.

Sunshine Skyway bridge

A boardwalk meanders through the mangrove swap. It provides hikers numerous opportunities to see wildlife. Along one section it follows the Gulf shore. Fisherman and hikers can make their way through the massive sea grape stands, and dip a line or their feet in the Gulf waters. One can also get a good view of the Sunshine Skyway bridge, and downtown St. Petersburg.

On this day we saw several osprey and ibis. We also saw an egret and a juvenile black crowned night heron. There were lots of hikers, bicyclists, and kayakers. On this day wildlife was minimal, however the great weather and scenery made for an enjoyable trip.

Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron

Osprey enjoying a fall day at the Preserve

Getting to Know A Salt Marsh, Robinson Preserve

Brackish Pond Spoonbill Trail, Photo by The Quiet Image

A couple of weeks ago, we hiked the Spoonbill Trail at Robinson Preserve in Bradenton, Florida. We had planned on following the Osprey Loop on around, but we arrived during the hottest part of the day in the hottest month, August. The heat index spiked over 100 degrees. The afternoon clouds didn’t form, and there was no breeze off the Gulf of Mexico. We didn’t carry enough water, and we decided to turn back before climbing the forty foot observation tower.

We visited Palma Sola Botanical Garden in the morning, and decided to try Robinson Preserve in the afternoon. It was our first time to explore both of these destinations.  As I climbed out of the car at Robinson, the smell of salt marsh smacked me in the face. It brought back many fond memories of Eastern Shore, Virginia and St. Mark’s Wildlife Refuge, Florida. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time exploring both of these locations.

I prefer swamps and salt marshes to the beach. Wildlife is much more abundant around these locations. I never grew out of playing in the mud, and photographing birds and reptiles. These days I rather walk on a well marked elevated trail than trudging through knee-deep mud. I’ve graduated from a VW bug with a rusted out floorboard to a Honda Civic with carpeting. Also, my wife gets upset if I come home covered in mud.

In high school, I was lucky enough to attend marine biology camp at Chincoteague Bay Field Station, Virginia each year. I loved it. I got to play on the beach and inter-coastal for a week, while everyone else was stuck in a classroom studying for exams. I learned about the plants and animals of the salt marsh, and its importance to the ecosystem. The salt marsh smell became ingrained in my brain.

Some people don’t like the smell of the salt marsh. It smells like the anaerobic degradation of dead grass and animals mixed with a little bit of sulfur and salt water. To me it smells like renewal and life. The marsh provides an abundance of nutrients for animals to grow and thrive. Fish spawn in the pools, and fingerlings hide among the grasses. Without the salt marsh the oceans and seas would become barren wastelands.

The marsh provides fertile nesting grounds for birds. At Robinson Preserve we saw roseate spoonbills, ibis, great blue herons and ospreys. We even spotted a bald eagle. Thanks to marsh restoration programs like Robinson Preserve bald eagles are becoming more numerous.

We enjoyed our brief jaunt through the salt marsh in Bradenton. We plan on returning later in the year and spending more time once the weather becomes cooler in October. We look forward to doing the Osprey Loop, and walking on the boardwalk through the mangrove swamps.