Lindenwood Nature Preserve + Birds= Feather Fest

There are so many places to hike in Fort Wayne and the surrounding area. City parks, nature preserves, county and state parks, riverfronts, and farmland all call out to the nature lover. One of the smaller sites but also a beautiful site is the Lindenwood Nature Preserve. The preserve is a 110-acre wooded preserve. It is home to deer, raccoon, opossum, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. In fact, this small preserve is home to at least 70 distinct species of bird. It is this abundance of avian diversity that was the impetuous for the creation of Feather Fest.
 
For birds this preserve is a choice location. It is part of a semi-wildlife corridor that includes Lindenwood Cemetery, the lake and fields of the University of Saint Francis, and Rockhill Park. To the east the

connects to the three rivers (the Saint Mary, the Saint Joseph, and the Maumee rivers), the St. Jospeh Watershed and eventually Lake Erie. To the west is the Little River Valley. That includes Eagle Marsh, Fox Island, ACRES’ Fogwell Forest, the ACRES Land Trust preserves on Aboite Road as well as Arrowhead and Buttonbush Bottoms Preserves, LC Nature Park and then in Huntington the Little River Landing preserve. The continental divide separates two watersheds, one going to Lake Erie and the other to the Wabash River and onto the Mississippi. No wonder there are 70 species of birds at Lindenwood Nature Preserve. This is a major flight path of many migratory birds. This is one of the reasons the Stockbridge Audubon Society often refers to Northern Indiana as one of the best birding areas in the United States.
 
Lindenwood Nature Preserve is surrounded by traffic and development. To the south is Jefferson Blvd and the associated business and traffic. To the immediate east is Lindenwood Avenue which connects the preserve with Lindenwood Cemetery and further north to the University of Saint Francis main campus. Yet, once one enters the preserve one is confronted with the peace that comes with being in nature. That includes four hiking trails, a pond, and the sights, smells, and sounds of nature.
 
Feather Fest is a free annual event. It includes games and educational activities for children. There are guided hiking tours. To highlight the theme of the festival Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation presents their birds to the visitors. Visitors are able to see and learn about raptors and about Soarin’ Hawk.  The birds included the large and majestic Great Horned Owl, the small and cute Eastern Screech Owl, and the stunning Red-Tailed Hawk.
At the Soarin’  Hawk table was a display to help visitors understand how bird wings adapt to their environment.  Between the guided hikes, the activities, the birds, and the preserve Feather Fest is an event that reminds one of the importance of place and our connections with nature. The linked YouTube video is a dance between hiking the trails and meeting the birds, enjoy.

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