Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 04, 2013 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 4 | 13 |
| Osprey | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 1 | 28 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 6 | 17 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 24 | 158 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| American Kestrel | 3 | 12 | 34 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 16 | 25 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Raptor | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Total: | 14 | 79 | 340 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Claude Vallieres, Mitchell Blystone, Rob Reilly |
Visitors:
Bob Righter stopped by for a couple of hours and was especially helpful with spotting and identifications. He has been visiting the ridge on occasion for years. "Diz" also stopped by for a while. He has visited the site a few times this year and is interested in learning more about raptors.
Weather:
Warm with temperature rising from 12C to 17C. Generally light winds ranging from 0 to 2 Bft from the SE. Only a few clouds during the day.
Raptor Observations:
The keen eyes of several observers and visitors were helpful in spotting and identifying the generally distant migrating raptors along the west ridges and overhead. A few interesting local raptors including Northern Harrier(s) sighted twice below ridge line to the east and also flying east to west, Cooper's Hawk, Kestrel, a solitary Turkey Vulture, and several local Red-tailed Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations:
See or heard: Townsend's Solitaire, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, American Crow, Northern Flicker, Western Meadowlark, Western Scrub-Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, Dark-eyed Junco, and Downy Woodpecker.
Predictions:
Another warm blue sky day may mean more high fliers and distant raptors?
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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