Bird Key Park A.K.A Ringling Causeway is a saltwater beach in Sarasota County, Florida. Across 1,099 bacteria samples collected between 2021 and 2025 at nearby monitoring stations, it earns a Beach Safety Grade of F — Failing.
About 79% of samples at Bird Key Park A.K.A Ringling Causeway exceeded the EPA Beach Action Value of 235 CFU/100 mL for Escherichia coli — the threshold at which water managers typically post a swimming advisory. In practice that means the safe-swimming limit was frequently crossed here over the monitored period. Bacteria samples exceed the safe-swimming threshold a large share of the time — this beach flags advisories often.
The evidence behind this grade is deep for a beach page: 1,099 results from 20 monitoring stations, spanning 2021 to 2025. Enough sampling, from enough places, over enough seasons that one bad week can't drive the letter.
Bird Key Park A.K.A Ringling Causeway was not under a swimming advisory in the most recent EPA snapshot. Conditions can change quickly after heavy rain or high runoff, so it's still worth checking the current advisory the day you go.