Sun staff writer/photographer covering the environment, tourism and Cortez.

Shorebird gallery

Cindy Lane - January 23, 2024

Least terns, pelicans, royal terns, snowy plovers, gulls, black skimmers and oystercatchers are some of the shorebirds that frequent Anna Maria Island.

Manatee gallery

Cindy Lane - January 23, 2024

Manatees, or sea cows - actually relatives of the elephant - frequent waters around Anna Maria Island. They are a federally threatened species.

Dolphin gallery

Cindy Lane - January 23, 2024

Dolphins frequent the Gulf of Mexico, the Intracoastal Waterway, Sarasota Bay and the Manatee River near Anna Maria Island.

Skimboarding gallery

Cindy Lane - January 22, 2024

Robinson Preserve gallery

Cindy Lane - January 22, 2024

The 637-acre Robinson Preserve, bordered by the Manatee River, Tampa Bay, Palma Sola Bay and Perico Bayou, offers dog-friendly hiking, biking and kayak trails...