Photos: Birds in Bloomington parks (April 16, 2022)

On last week’s visit to Miller-Showers Park on Bloomington’s north side, The B Square spotted a great blue heron, some Canada geese and some mallards.

This Saturday, the great blue heron, geese, and mallards were again on display. But compared to last week, the park offered a bigger inventory of critters.

This week, a muskrat was floating in the second pool, with its full furry length visible on the surface of the water, from tip to round tail. The muskrat appeared to be munching on a snack that it was holding between its paws.

Maybe 30 feet away, sitting on the retention wall, one Canada goose was awake and active, while other members of its flock and some mallards were dozing along in the sun. Early afternoon skies were clear, with a temperature around 60 F degrees and a 10 mph wind.

Like last week, a great blue heron was tiptoeing around in the wetland next to the park’s lowest pool. This week it was joined by a half dozen turtles, that were sunning themselves on some rocks.

A hawk swooped into the park from the Walnut Street side and alighted on a tree on the College Avenue side. It stayed only a minute before taking flight and heading for the edge of the water on the Walnut street side, where it seems to make a half-hearted attempt to snag some lunch.

It looked like it came up with a wad of muddy plant matter, which it carried back across to the College Avenue side of the pool. It perched there for just a short while, before flying north, above the great blue heron and the turtles and disappeared below the footbridge.

A reliable source on social media identified the hawk as a red-shouldered hawk. There is no doubt it was a hawk with red shoulders.

Here’s some additional photos.

Photos: Miller-Showers Park (April 16, 2022)