Originally established as a fish hatchery nearly 100 years ago, Lake Bruin is a good spot to find a lot of bird species in a small area.
Expected waterbirds here include Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Forster's Tern, Bonaparte's and Ring-billed Gulls, plus wading birds such as Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets. Northern Rough-winged, Barn, and Tree Swallows hunt over the lake. Fishing piers and boat docks can be used for good lake views. Mature trees are scattered throughout the park with a partially closed canopy with an open understory. Expected woodland raptors include Cooper's and Red-shouldered Hawks, and Barred Owl. Year-round woodpecker species include Red-headed, Red-bellied, Downy, and Pileated.
Numerous canopy-dwelling songbirds live here, including Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Bluebird, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, and Northern Cardinal. Should you visit in fall, winter, or spring, you'll encounter overwintering species such as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, and Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Three large fishing piers, a year-round boat launch, and a boat shed for docking make things convenient for fishermen. Rental boats are also available. Lake Bruin’s campsites allow visitors to park campers or RVs at the lake's edge. Water sports, pleasure boating, and swimming are popular at Lake Bruin. A special area along the lake with a sandy beach is set aside for swimming. A bathhouse is located nearby. For children, there is a splash pad for cooling off on hot afternoons. There are also playground areas and a covered pavilion for picnicking. Most facilities are wheelchair accessible.
