Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 16, 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 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 4 | 40 | 40 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total: | 5 | 78 | 78 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele |
| Observers: | Ernie Stone, Jennifer Clay, Julia Auckland |
Visitors:
Now that the trail is free of ice and snow, there were a fair number of hikers and bikers on the ridge. A group of four stop by to ask about Hawk Watch. Jerry Stone helped spot birds and was especially good at finding local, perched Red-tailed Hawks.
Weather:
It was an overcast, cool day with a constant breeze from the northeast (100% cloud cover and 3B winds throughout most of the day). Temperature and humidity data were unavailable from the Rooney Road weather station.
Raptor Observations:
We observed five migrating raptors today: 1 Ferruginous Hawk and 4 Red-tailed hawks. One of the Red-tailed Hawks was a probable Harlan's, possibly the same bird seen yesterday by Dave Hill's group. We counted it as a migrant as it disappeared from view well beyond I-70, still heading north. Non-migrating raptors included a Prairie Falcon and a number of local Red-tailed Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptors included: Towsend's Solitaires; Common Ravens; American Crows; Western Scrub-Jays; Black-billed Magpies; Bushtits; Mountain Bluebirds: Rock Pigeons; Dark-eyed Juncos; Canada Geese; a Northern Flicker; and an Eurasian Collared-Dove.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment