Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 29, 2013 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 | 146 | 155 |
| Osprey | 0 | 21 | 22 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 29 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 3 | 85 | 93 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | 98 | 109 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 33 | 33 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 91 | 225 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 122 | 144 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 13 | 14 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 32 | 36 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 24 | 33 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 13 | 16 |
| Total: | 18 | 712 | 973 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Claude Vallieres |
| Observers: | Bill Flowers |
Visitors:
5 Visitors included: Karen Eberhardt, a local birder asking about birds seen and for info about binoculars, looking to upgrade hers. Charles, a Dinosaur Ridge Volunteer. One visitor "...looking for bones" i.e. directions to fossil display area. The usual by-passers of joggers, hikers and bicyclists also occurred.
Weather:
Sunny and warm for most of the day. Temperatures ranged from 18 degrees -C to 23-C. Winds initially were from the East later coming from West/North-West and ranged from 1 to 3 Beaufort Scale with a few gusts in a higher range. Cloud cover ranged from 5% to 95% in the afternoon. Visibility was good all day.
Raptor Observations:
Overall a slow day for migrating raptors. The peak was the first hour with 11 raptors with only 2 raptors in the afternoon which included 1 Peregrine as the last bird of the day for a day total of 18. 2 Turkey Vultures, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 Cooper's Hawks, 1 Swainson's Hawk, 5 Red-tailed Hawk, 2 American Kestrels and 1 Unidentified Raptor. Local raptor activity was minimal and included 4 Turkey Vultures, 2 American Kestrels, several Red-tailed Hawks which included a pair - one being an intermediate adult accompanied by an adult which were seen several times, and 2 Cooper's Hawks. Most migrants were high flying and on the East side of the Dino Ridge with a few below eye-line and the Peregrine on the West side of Dino Ridge at eye-level.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other than the numerous White-throated Swifts and many Violet-green Swallows other bird life was minimal in numbers and included (heard or seen) Western Meadowlark, Spotted Towhee, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Western Scrub Jay, Mountain Chickadee, American Robin, 1 Barn Swallow, Black-billed Magpie, 1 Broad-tail Hummingbird, Common Raven, American Crow, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and 1 Nothern Flicker.
Predictions:
Forecast indicates cooler with high chance of rain in afternoon turing to snow Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
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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