Celery Fields Trip

After exploring around the Nature Center and crossing the street to the water overlook, we suggest carpooling from the Palmer gazebo or pavilion to the one on Raymond Road). Celery Fields has 400 acres of open marshlands, deep ponds, shallow pools, and canals edged by oaks, willows, and pines on the eastern and southern boundaries.  The deepest ponds are in the North Cells fed by the Fruitville Road entry canal. Those deep ponds channel water to the Central Cells west of the big hill. Then water flows under Palmer Boulevard into the South Cells and out southward into Phillippi Creek. 246 bird species have been recorded. Wintertime offers particularly good birding, hosting sparrows, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, and several species of rails, including Sora and Virginia.  Breeding birds include Black-necked Stilts, King Rail, Least Bittern, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Barn Owl and Eastern Meadowlark. Least Terns breed on nearby buildings and us…