I am writing this from the perspective of being a photographer. This is the first time that I have been to the Preserve after reading, and hearing so much about it. I found it to be quite disappointing. The issues with the Preserve, again, only from a bird spotting, and photography standpoint are many. 1. The area is completely overgrown. It has limited the view of all of the ponds and removed the vast majority of quality shooting locations. Beyond that, walking along the paths is ridiculous. I was walking along ponds, I should have been able to see, completely obstructed by shrubs and trees. To define a quality shooting location; an area one can sit in, with a 180 degree view of the pond or the subject in front of the person. There were trees that had 1/3 of its trunk covered in debris. I sat and watched birds, rats, and rabbits emerge from the debris. This overgrowth is both unsightly, and a fire hazard. 2. The majority of the benches and blinds have been rendered unusable. Again, it comes down to the area being overgrown. I walked past several benches that were placed on the edge of the pond, yet a view of dense shrubbery was presented. The blinds in the special use areas are shrouded and covered. What's the point of having a permit to use an area that has no unobstructed view? 3. Varmints. There are rabbits EVERYWHERE. Yes, they're cute, but rabbits bring rats, and there were a ton of those too. This is a disease outbreak waiting for a place to happen. I went today looking for Burrowing Owls. All gone. Why? Cats. Feral cats have preyed on all of the Burrowing Owls, and they have been removed. 4. The ponds are inconsistently watered. This has made the birds leave for other locations. I am incredibly displeased that I went today. I can go to a golf course and see the same birds with far less hassle, and can get great shots. It's unfortunate that the staff of this preserve isn't committed to making this a pristine bird area.
Is this review positive or negative?
negative