Exploring Noble County: A Bird Nerd's Paradise
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Why go birding in Noble County?
Noble County is home to 117 lakes with dozens of public access sites to enjoy the waterways, three Acres Land Trust preserves that are open to the public, diverse public parks in towns and cities, and Chain O' Lakes State Park, named an "open water" stop on the Indiana Birding Trail.
Whether you watch from a bench, trail, or kayak, the opportunities to observe shore birds, raptors, backyard favorites, and migrating visitors abound year-round! So be sure to bring a pair of binoculars and camera and begin exploring!
What you might see
Northeast Indiana is home to iconic backyard birds like the Northern Cardinal (Indiana's state bird), American Robin, Mourning Dove, and Blue Jay. A walk through the woods is likely to reveal the Tufted Titmouse, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. Exploring around open water can be highlighted by the appearance of a Bald Eagle, Osprey, or other predatory bird, as well as a variety of ducks, herons, and perhaps a migrating shorebird in spring or fall.
Bird watchers in Noble County from late April to early June can find an impressive mix of migrating birds. The area sits only slightly south, and about 2.5 hours west of an area on the shores of Lake Erie that is considered the "Warbler Capital of the World". As such, a similar and impressive array of warblers moves through Noble County each spring. Sitings of Trumpeter Swans and White Pelicans are also common on local lakes during migration.
Local hot spots
We recommend getting started by becoming acquainted with a few of the birding hot spots in our area:
Indiana Birding Trail - Chain O' Lakes State Park, Albion
Acres Land Trust - Public Preserves in Noble
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center - Wolf Lake
Bixler Lake Park - Kendallville
Hidden Diamonds Park - Albion
Gene Stratton Porter State Historic Site - Rome City
Noble Trails - Kendallville to Rome City
Identifying birds
Gathering some recommended tools to keep handy during your trek is a great idea. A top choice of many birders is the Merlin App, free for download to your mobile device. Merlin will help you identify birds you are likely to see (based on location and time of year), identify what you see or hear, and even keep track of your "life list." The Audubon app is a similar option to consider.
What's a "life list"? It is your own record of the first time you observe a species of bird. Birding enthusiasts keep life lists as a scrapbook of memories and can serve as a challenge to keep discovering more!
For more information about local birds and birding in Noble County, read Neil Case’s articles here. Mr. Case was a well-loved birder and author who documented decades of his love for Indiana's local birds and nature.
We want to hear about your birding experiences in Noble County. Tag us on social media by using the hashtag #VisitNoble to share your experience!
