The Celery Fields
Tricolor Heron in the marsh.
Overview: The Celery Fields offer an expansive 400+ acre area of open marshlands, ponds, and canals, creating vital habitat for an array of birds and outstanding opportunities for bird photography. Whether you enjoy hiking with your gear or strolling out to a boardwalk, this area offers the chance to capture wading birds, songbirds, ducks, and birds of prey at close range, making it ideal for the bird photographer.
Perspective: The Celery Fields is both a conserved and restored wetlands area and Sarasota’s County’s flood mitigation zone. It is mapped out into parcels or cells that are best viewed from a quick climb up Observation Hill. From here, you will have a clear view of the various parcels that compose the area, with the central cell and sediment ponds to the east and north and the boardwalks across Palmer Avenue to the south. From this vantage point, you will also garner a quick and inspiring view of the various birds at the Celery Fields – from wading birds to songbirds to hawks and ducks, you will see a broad array of birds enjoying the rich and protective habitat.
Beautiful Purple Gallinule.
The Habitat: by walking around the Celery Fields, it becomes clears why over 249 unique birds have been recorded here (according to eBird) and why many nest in this location. There are protected ponds and lakes edged by oaks, pines, willows, and many plants that offer birds abundant food sources and protection – vital elements for survival and procreation. The types of trees and plants at the Celery Fields are ideal for attracting birds because not only do they offer food in the form of seeds, fruits, flowers but they also attract insects, snails, fish, and frogs; as well, they serve as places to hide, rest, nest, breed, and raise chicks.
Bird Photography: The ability to see birds at close range makes this an ideal location for bird photography. we recommend the beginning and end of the day for the best light and most activity, but if you are less concerned with the light/quality of images and simply want to get out and take photos, you can see birds at any time at the Celery Fields.
Hiking/Walking: If you are more adventurous and enjoy walking and photographing, we recommend packing your camera with your zoom lens and toting your travel tripod. Hike up Observation Hill to gain perspective on the topography and capture the vultures that are swirling above and the songbirds darting in and out of the trees and plants. Hike down the hill towards the central cell or sediment ponds and walk the grassy paths that appeal to you – you can’t go wrong. By walking around the fields in mid-January, we encountered numerous wading birds including egrets, herons, anhinga, sandhill cranes (in the path!) as well as common gallinule, belted kingfisher, loggerhead strike, Forster’s tern, blue wing teals, and several species of warblers and hawks.
Foraging Sora!
Boardwalks: If you want to skip the walking (which can earn you several miles), head over to the boardwalks. The Palmer Avenue boardwalk is a simple walk across the street and stretches over part of the Southern Cell. At dusk this place is teaming with foraging birds, including herons, egrets, sandhill cranes, common gallinule, glossy ibis, sora, American coots, and the allusive and striking purple gallinule. The Raymond Road boardwalk provides another outstanding opportunity to photography birds.
Sandhill Crane just standing on the hiking trail.
For more information and directions: check out Sarasota Audubon’s website: https://www.sarasotaaudubon.org.
