Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 11, 2013 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 9 | 60 | 69 |
| Osprey | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 1 | 28 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 10 | 18 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 4 | 29 | 40 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 43 | 177 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 45 | 67 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 19 | 28 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Total: | 17 | 233 | 494 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Claude Vallieres |
| Observers: | Karen Balog, Roger Rouch |
Visitors:
Very few trail users and no visitors.
Weather:
Temperature ranged from 3-C to 10-C which included a wind chill factor with variable winds from 2 to 5. Mid-day sunshine occured and provided some warmth for about an hour. Cloud cover ranged from 50% to 95%.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating raptors included 9 turkey vultures, 1 juvenile red-tailed hawk, 4 cooper's hawks, 1 male american kestrel, 1 sharp-shinned hawk and 1 peregrine falcon. All but the peregrine were flying along the dino-ridge spine or along the east side of the ridge. All were at limit of unaided vision and provided good viewing oportunities.
Non-raptor Observations:
A local red-tailed hawk and a prairie falcon along with a eurasian-collared dove greeted our arrival. Other local birds heard or seen included western meadowlark, black-billed magpie, western scrub jay, house finch, robin, common raven, crow, white-throated swift, Townsend's solitaire, a distant unidentified eagle along the far west ridge, an unknown accipeter who went east, and an unknown falcon and a turkey vulture who both remained in the area.
Predictions:
Forecast is for warmer temperature in 50s-F. Expect muddy trail. Hopefully more migrants with a warmer day.
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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