Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 11, 2014 | |||
| 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 | 5 | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 1 | 28 | 28 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 12:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3 hours |
| Official Counter | Claude Vallieres |
| Observers: | Kathanne Lynch, Paul Slingsby |
Visitors:
Novice birders, Bob & Heidi Wolford spent an hour with us asking questions and vowing to come back on a better weather day. They'd learned of the Site through the RMBO website. Jim Esten a birder and photographer also visited with us and was driven away by the inclement weather and had learned of the Site via Colorado Birder website.
Weather:
A strong gust of wind greeted this writer as I crested the ridge setting the tone for a short watch day and for the incoming storm. Winds initially were from the W/NW and changed to E/NE when the approaching weather fronts collided after 11a.m. Wind speeds were 3-4 on the Beaufort scale. Temperatures ranged 44-38 degrees (F) but felt much colder. Cloud cover ranged from 70% to 100% with occasional sunshine in the first 2 hours. Visibility was initially good at 50 km but deteriorated to less than a quarter mile at watch's end when Red Rocks could not be seen because of the corn snow. No rain.
Raptor Observations:
Only 1 migrant was observed today. A determined Prairie Falcon steadfastly flew North on the West side of the ridge and disappeared somewhere over Golden.
Non-raptor Observations:
The first two hours provided local raptor activity with a pair of Red-tailed Hawks displaying courtship flight. 2 American Kestrels, 1 Prairie Falcon. 2 other Red-tailed Hawks were sighted trying to skillfully master the strong winds. Other birds sighted early on were flocks of Juncos, Mountain Bluebirds, American Robins along with individual Northern Flickers, Black-billed Magpies, Scrub Jays, Townsend's Solitaires and Ravens.
Predictions:
Weather forecast calls for improved weather, partly sunny with temperature range 20s to low 50s (F)
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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