Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 16, 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 | 15 | 15 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 6 | 35 | 35 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Total: | 11 | 74 | 74 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele |
| Observers: | Francis Commercon, Karen Fernandez, Lee Farrell, Mike Fernandez |
Visitors:
A warm Sunday and a dry trail brought many hikers/bikers/joggers/families to the Ridge. A number stopped by to talk and ask questions. One group got a spotting-scope view of a perched male American Kestrel. Ann Groshek and Barb VerSteeg stopped to visit as well. Ann was one of the original Dinosaur Ridge Hawk Watchers back when the program was run by the Denver Museum of Natural History. Ann continues to volunteer in the Museum's Ornithology Department.
Weather:
It was a warm, sunny day with a nearly cloudless sky and a high temperature of 60 F. There was, however, a fairly constant 15 to 20 mph wind out of the northwest throughout much of the day. During the mid-day, scattered cirrus clouds moved in and out, but cloud cover was never more than 15%.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating Raptors: A total of eleven migrating raptors of five species were seen - Six Red-tailed Hawks, an immature Golden Eagle, a Ferruginous Hawk, an American Kestrel, and a Prairie Falcon. Alas, the count also included one unidentified raptor which slipped by the Site and got far north before anyone could get a look sufficient to even place it in a Family. Non-migrating Raptors: There were numerous sightings of local Red-tailed Hawks, with several pairs in courtship/pair-bonding display. A local Prairie Falcon made several appearances, and a local male American Kestrel was seen flying up and down the Ridge, perching on wires and harassing one of the migrating Red-tailed Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations:
Non-Raptor observations included the following species: Common Raven, American Crow, Mountain Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Townsend's Solitaire, Western Scrub-Jay, House Finch, Western Meadowlark (occasionally heard signing despite the roar of the dirt bike race underway on the east side of the Ridge), American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, Bushtit, and Mountain Bluebird (small flocks passing the Site throughout the day).
Predictions:
Another warm, breezy day is predicted and has possibilities.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment