Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 17, 2019 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 79 | 80 |
| Osprey | 2 | 19 | 19 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 4 | 16 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 39 | 48 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | 68 | 74 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 202 | 295 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 6 | 10 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 3 | 46 | 51 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 9 | 12 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Total: | 13 | 506 | 653 |
| Observation start time: | 09:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 4.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
The few visitors that came up to the platform seemed only interested in the view.
Weather:
The mostly-cloudy day averaged about 80-percent, thick, cloud-cover but the sky opened up for a while (50-percent cloud-cover) toward the end of the watch right after about a half-hour of light rain. The winds (mostly bft 2-3) were generally from the northeast and east. Temperatures rose from 11 C to 15 C. Visibility was acceptable; there was a light haze to the south.
Raptor Observations:
A little more than half of the migrating raptors today passed by in the hour-and-a-half before 11:00am MST, perhaps trying to get ahead of the weather. Most were studies in silhouette recognition and flight-style, given the high heights-of-flight (HF3-4) and the gray lighting available during most of this time period. The next hour or so had no noted migrants, until the third Cooper's Hawk of the day was seen moving north, high over the west-side valley; it was interesting to watch it veer NW then more WNW just as the swath of light drizzly rain moving in from the north began in earnest. Near the end of the half-hour of light rain, an Osprey was spotted moving up Rooney Valley past the north end of Green Mountain. After the rain ceased and the northern sky opened up a bit, two migrants passed high over the Ridge in quick succession: a nicely-lit female American Kestrel and, the highlight of the day, an adult Broad-winged Hawk. The local Red-tailed Hawks were out and about but were out-done by the Turkey Vultures which roamed high and low, and up and down the ridges and valleys, almost incessantly. A local adult Golden Eagle also came south and soared east across southern Rooney Valley.
Non-raptor Observations:
Two groups of several male and female Western Bluebirds were seen moving along the Ridge; each group stopped in a few trees near the platform, appearing to call to each other and gather up together before taking off again on their journey. Also seen or heard were Western Meadowlark, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Spotted Towhee, Townsend's Solitaire, Common Raven, Bushtit, Dark-eyed Junco, Tree Swallow, American Crow, and White-throated Swift. A Fox Squirrel was seen in the dead tree south-east of the platform. At least two Mule Deer were seen on Green Mountain.
Report submitted by Matthew Smith (matt.smith@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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 Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.
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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