Old B Square

Advice for students: Bloomington is for the birds

As a local government reporter, it is not hard to justify writing about the fancy birds that hang out in Bloomington’s public parks.

The birds at public parks are a part of my regular beat, because public parks are run by local government.

Local government officials can look to the redhead ducks at Miller-Showers or great blue herons at Griffy Lake as an example to follow: As long as I have been watching, Bloomington’s pretty birds have never violated Indiana’s Open Door Law.

But the public parks are not the only outdoor places in Bloomington. There’s plenty of remarkable birds in other parts of town.

David Rupp is a local bird expert I interviewed about mysterious song bird deaths around this time last year. Rupp put it like this: “Once you start paying attention, and searching for birds, it’s amazing how prevalent birds are.”

The steeple of the First Presbyterian Church at 6th and Lincoln streets is a favorite perch of a red-tailed hawk. Another favorite place for red-tailed hawks: The fish-shaped weather vane on top of the Monroe County courthouse.

Anyhow, if you’re wandering around west of the Indiana University campus in downtown Bloomington, look up, you might see a fancy bird.

And if you visit Griffy Lake, it you watch long enough the great blue herons will teach you how to fish.

Here’s a couple of galleries, both shot on Friday, July 29, 2022.

Red-tailed hawk at First Presbyterian Church, 6th & Lincoln (July 29, 2022).