Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 26, 2015 | |||
| 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 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 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 6 | 60 | 60 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele |
| Observers: | David Smith, Doug Smith |
Visitors:
Doug Smith and his son Dave, two experienced birders, spent four hours on the Ridge helping to spot and identify raptors. Dave is an elementary school teacher and has created an after-school Raptor Club for his students. There was not a lot of foot/bike traffic on the trail today, but a few hikers stopped by to ask what we were doing and what had been seen,
Weather:
The day was cool with constant, somewhat variable winds (between 3 and 4bft; gusts to 5bft) from the west, northwest and northeast. It was partly cloudy with high, thin clouds in the morning, becoming more overcast at mid-day, and clearing late with just a few scattered cumulus clouds remaining. Visibility was very good throughout the day.
Raptor Observations:
It was a fairly quiet day on the Ridge, with a total of six migrants - four Red-tailed Hawks, one Peregrine Falcon and one American Kestrel. The highlight of the day was a naked-eye view of the Peregrine Falcon in strong, direct flight just off the Ridge. Given that there is a resident pair of Peregrines at Red Rocks, this bird was counted as a migrant only after it had been followed until it disappeared, as a dot, still heading north. Local Red-tailed Hawks were observed numerous times during the day, with various pairs displaying pair-bonding behavior - south of the Ridge, over West Ridge and over Green Mountain. A local, juvenile Golden Eagle appeared several times during the morning, once drifting directly over the observation site.
Non-raptor Observations:
Common Ravens, "playing" in the wind, were a constant throughout the day (one passed close to the Ridge carrying nesting material). Also seen or heard were: American Crow, Black-billed Magpie, Bushtit, Mountain Chickadee, American Robin, Western Meadowlark, Western Scrub-Jay, and Townsend's Solitaire.
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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