Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 05, 2013 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 10 | 19 | 19 |
| Observation start time: | 09:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele |
| Observers: | Joel Chapa |
Visitors:
There were few hikers/bikers on the ridge today. One hiker stopped to ask about Hawk Watch. He mentioned that he was pleased to see that Bald Eagles were making a comeback in the area.
Weather:
It was a sunny, cloudless day. There was a light breeze from the ENE and NE throughout the day - 2B and 3B (6 - 11 km/hr and 12 - 19 km/hr). Air pollution over Denver reduced long-distance visibility to the east and southeast over the day (from > 50 km in the morning to about 20 km in the late afternoon). Temperatures remained fairly constant throughout (-1 to 1.7 C). Note: temperature and humidity data in the summary are from the Weather Underground station at Rooney Road. There are no BP data from that station.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating Raptors: After a very quiet morning, thing picked up around noon. Migrating raptors included: three adult, light morph Ferruginous Hawks (Joel got a really nice photograph of one as it passed directly over the observation point); five adult Red-tailed Hawks (one dark morph); and two adult Bald Eagles. Except for one Red-tailed Hawk, the migrating birds came up the ridge, allowing for nice, close-in views. Non-migrating Raptors included: adult and juvenile Golden Eagles (an adult was seen in an undulating courtship flight display); and Red-tailed Hawks (the "Green Mountain" pair was seen displaying courtship behavior).
Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptors included: Black-billed Magpies; Common Ravens; American Crows; Western Scrub-Jays; Townsend's Solitaires; a White-breasted Nuthatch; and a Northern Flicker. Non-avian observations - 67 elk grazing to the north of the Cabrini Shrine.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff.birek@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.org/
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may
be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged
Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see
resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to
migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and
Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern
Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes
Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White
Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome.
The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of May.
Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow small signs from the south
side of lot to hawkwatch site. The hike starts heading east on an old two-track
and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side of the ridge. When the
trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, head through the gate, and walk to
the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge.
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