Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: May 06, 2014 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 14 | 117 |
| Osprey | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 3 | 41 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 11 | 82 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 15 | 260 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 4 | 82 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 26 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Total: | 2 | 63 | 747 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Claude Vallieres |
| Observers: | Paul Slingsby |
Visitors:
7 visitors visited with only 1 asking what birds we were seeing. Numerous hikers and bikers, joggers were seen on the trail.
Weather:
Early morning overcast and hazy throughout the day included the "brown cloud" more so on the North side. Sun shown intermittently peering through the clouds with clearing skies in the afternoon. Cloud cover ranged 80-30%. Wind range was 0-2 on Beaufort scale mostly from the East with some from the North. Visibility was 50 km despite the haze and pollution. Temperature ranged 18-22 C with cooling light winds.
Raptor Observations:
It appears raptor migration may be winding down with only two migrants observed: 1 Turkey Vulture during the first hour and a Red-tailed Hawk during the second hour. Local raptors appearing were 1 Prairie Falcon hunting the lower East side of the ridge. Several Red-tailed Hawks included a molting juvenile accompanied by another juvenile both performing aerial maneuvers. 1 juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk flew close by. 1 American Kestrel and several Turkey Vultures also were seen.
Non-raptor Observations:
What made up for a slow raptor migration day was the sighting of numerous other species which included: male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Scrub Jays, Spotted Towhees chasing each other around the observation sight, Robins, Juncos, Meadowlarks, Mourning Doves, Eurasian-collared Doves, 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds, Magpies, 1 Great Blue Heron, 6 White Pelicans, Chipping Sparrows, White-throated Swifts, American Ravens, 1 American Crow, numerous Violet-Green Swallows. The highlight birds were 3 Western Kingbirds, 12 Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and numerous waves of migrating Yellow-rumped Warblers totaling 21.
Predictions:
Weather forecast calls for low 70s F with rain in the afternoon increasing later in the day. Thus a likely hindrance for migration.
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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