kayaking and birding

[Chris F]

Can anyone recommend places, preferably less than 2 hours from Denver, to kayak and bird? I've been in CO 4 months and been to Cherry Creek and Chatfield, but the motorboats and jet skis were unpleasant, to put it mildly. Thanks in advance.

Chris

[Megan Miller]

Hi Chris!

I do a lot of kayaking and birding. Barr lake is my favorite place to go for birding. Last weekend we watched some forsters tern fly around us, a sandhill crane flew over and I've seen black terns from the lake as well. A nice little list of shorebirds as well. They're having a pretty significant algae bloom rn so kayaking is there is sorta surreal. It's like floating on grass. 

My other favorite places are lake dillon in Frisco and aurora reservoir. 

Barr lake and Aurora res dont allow sports boating so no motor boats or jet skis. Small fishing boats with motors are allowed but no wakes. 

Also worth checking out 

Horse tooth Res in fort collins 

Boyd Lake State park in loveland

Gross Reservoir in Boulder

I've been wanting to take a trip out east to some of our prairie reservoirs (john martin etc.) but havent had a chance yet! 

Happy birding,

Megan M

On Fri, Jul 24, 2020, 2:14 PM Chris F <chrisf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can anyone recommend places, preferably less than 2 hours from Denver, to kayak and bird? I've been in CO 4 months and been to Cherry Creek and Chatfield, but the motorboats and jet skis were unpleasant, to put it mildly. Thanks in advance.

Chris

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[Bill Schmoker]

Hi Chris- I'll add Union Reservoir in NW Longmont to the mix- only wakeless boating is allowed there and the lake has lots of great birding habitat including extensive marshes, seasonal mud flats, some willow thickets and cottonwoods, and big open water that attracts grebes, gulls, loons, etc.  If you follow the whole perimeter you'll have paddled 5+ miles.  I've never heard as many marsh wrens in one place as I have  here.  For example:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S71290293

A smaller lake in Longmont that can have good birds is McIntosh Lake.  Only hand-launched craft are allowed there and it is a popular paddleboarding/kayaking location.  The NW side is cordoned off as a wildlife preserve but you can paddle along the buoy line to peer in to the protected shoreline.

If you'd like a more montane kayaking/birding experience you might consider Gross Reservoir west of Boulder.  Another pretty big lake with lots of shoreline intercepting coniferous forests, cliffs, and open slopes.  On my last trip there a I enjoyed a nice mix of birds from my kayak.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S70783040

Happy Paddling & Birding- Bill Schmoker, Longmont

On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 2:14 PM Chris F <chrisf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can anyone recommend places, preferably less than 2 hours from Denver, to kayak and bird? I've been in CO 4 months and been to Cherry Creek and Chatfield, but the motorboats and jet skis were unpleasant, to put it mildly. Thanks in advance.

Chris

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Bill Schmoker             
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[Charlie Chase]

Hey Chris   While there a number of good reservoirs for Kayaking around us, I would also say try out the rivers and streams.  Several sections of the South Platte are great for birding as well as Clear Creek in Denver.  The St. Vrain from Lyons flowing east to Longmont goes through some wonderful riparian habitat.  We often do car drop-offs and paddle several miles or paddle back to the take out if the current is reasonable which it certainly is most of the year here.  

Cheers

Charlie Chase

Denver

On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 2:14 PM Chris F <chrisf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can anyone recommend places, preferably less than 2 hours from Denver, to kayak and bird? I've been in CO 4 months and been to Cherry Creek and Chatfield, but the motorboats and jet skis were unpleasant, to put it mildly. Thanks in advance.

Chris

[Megan Miller]

Wow I didnt know there were so many birders x kayakers in Colorado! Cant wait to try Union! 

Megan M 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CA%2BBAsdt8MzNdi5HVQCgnzi-_eqoZQYmJP%3DQGyzsSF%3D0Bz2StGQ%40mail.gmail.com.