Sea shelling and birding at Boulder Reservoir

JANUARY NATURE WALK

Visitors to the Boulder Reservoir can catch a glimpse of the snow-capped Indian Peaks where they peek over the foothills. RUTH CAROL CUSHMAN — COURTESY PHOTO

Western bluebirds breed in Boulder County but are fairly rare to spot during the winter season. GLENN CUSHMAN — COURTESY PHOTOS

BOULDER RESERVOIR BEACH LOOKS LIKE CONEY ISLAND IN SUMMER. NOW, IT IS LONELY AND DESERTED.

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By Ruth Carol Cushman and Glenn Cushman

MediaNews Group

Beach walking on a windy winter day in Boulder? Yes!

If you go to Boulder Reservoir, you may have the beach to yourself except for bald eagles, mergansers, gulls and geese. And maybe a bluebird.

In mid-December, seven bald eagles and multitudes of mergansers hunted and fished at Boulder Rez. A week later there seemed to be no birds, so we looked down. To our amazement, tiny scallop-shaped shells lay scattered on the shore. An internet search revealed these were freshwater clam shells, some of which can even produce pearls.

Looking down, we also discovered rosettes of filaree or storksbill in Christmas colors of red and green. No magenta blossoms yet, but often they bloom in the midst of winter. Trying to identify plants with no flowers and trees with no leaves is part of the fun of a winter walk. Cottonwoods thrive along the shoreline and catalpas near the road, but what was that tree with pale bark and an alternate branching pattern? And were those lance-shaped leaves an aster?

And where were the birds? Persistent searching revealed many distant ducks on the water, a couple of kestrels in the trees, and a cove-full of geese. Then, a bird with a reddish breast appeared for an instant. Kit said, “Say’s phoebe,” and I said, “Eastern bluebird.”

New Year’s Day proved us both wrong. Eight western bluebirds, uncommon winter visitors in Boulder, fed along the road near the entry gate, which was closed for the holiday.

For beach walking, we recommend going after 10 when the main gate opens (except on major holidays) and parking in the first parking area to the left. Drop down to the shoreline and turn right. The area to the left, west of Windsurfer’s Point, is closed to protect northern harriers, bitterns, ospreys, and burrowing owls.

You can walk for almost a mile along the beach passing many boats wrapped up for winter, looking like a tent encampment. To the west, the snow-capped Indian Peaks loom above the foothills.

In winter, the 700-acre lake is closed to swimming, and concessions are closed, but that’s the reason you have an almost-private beach for nature walking.

If you prefer trail walking, we recommend the Boulder Reservoir Trail connecting the model airplane area (on 55 th Street) a short distance north of the main entry gate) and Coot Lake. For a detailed description of Coot Lake, see our 2014 December Nature Walk in The Camera online.

Directions: From Jay Road turn north on 51st Street and go about a mile to the sign for Boulder Reservoir on your right. In winter the gate is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and no fee is charged between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Phone number 303-441-3461.

Ruth Carol and Glenn Cushman are the authors of “Boulder Hiking Trails,” available on Amazon.