Our first sightings of 2013 came in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. We were driving north to the Orlando area for a 3-day birding trip. As the sun was rising, we decided to stop by the Celery Fields in Sarasota. The first bird we spotted was a Red-Shouldered Hawk, sitting on the railing of the south cell boardwalk. Looking north, we spotted a Bald Eagle perched atop a tall platform. Next we spotted an American Bittern out in the open. What a New Year's blessing, as Bitterns are usually well hidden and rarely seen.
We spent nearly three hours here and took lots of photos. We also spotted: Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, Northern Harrier (hovering over it's prey), Ospreys, several more Red-Shouldered Hawks, Great Egrets, Double-Crested Cormorants, Limpkins, American Coots, Common Gallinules, Boat-Tailed Grackles, Red-Winged Blackbirds, a Marsh Wren, Savannah Sparrows, Palm Warblers, Soras (heard, not seen) and hundreds, perhaps thousands of Tree Swallows.
The Celery Fields are a great stop for any birder, beginner or advanced. The habitat is diverse, made up of freshwater marshes, wetlands, mudflats, fields, pastures, streams, canals and several impoundment ponds and lakes. The bird list for the Celery Fields includes over 200 species. Enjoy today's photos and good birding in 2013.....tweet.....tweet!!
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| Northern Harrier |
http://www.sarasotaaudubon.org/capital-campaign/the-celery-fields/
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