[cobirds] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (22 Mar 2014) 4 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 22, 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	1	19	19
Northern Harrier	0	0	0
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	2	2
Cooper's Hawk	0	3	3
Northern Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	0	0	0
Red-tailed Hawk	1	63	63
Rough-legged Hawk	0	7	7
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	7	7
Golden Eagle	0	2	2
American Kestrel	0	6	6
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	2	2
Prairie Falcon	0	5	5
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	0	0	0
Unknown Buteo	0	2	2
Unknown Falcon	0	0	0
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	1	4	4
Total:	4	122	122

Observation start time:	09:00:00
Observation end time:	12:30:00
Total observation time:	3.5 hours
Official Counter	Lee Farrell
Observers:	Mitchell Blystone

Visitors:
A number of hearty mountain-bikers and hikers were seen using the trail system. The cool weather and overcast sky limited visits to the station.

Weather:
It was a cold and cloudy day on the ridge with temperatures in the upper twenties and a constant breeze of about 3 bft out of the northeast. At 9:00AM the cloud ceiling was at an elevation slightly below the top of Green Mountain and the obscured the top half of Mt. Morrison. During the next few hours the cloud ceiling gained slightly in elevation such that the top of Green Mountain was visible, the top of Mt. Morrison remained obscured by clouds. A light mist of fine snow crystals fell throughout much of the morning. Light snow began around noontime. By 12:30PM significant rates of snowfall reduced visibilities to less than 1 km whereupon hawk watching was curtailed.

Raptor Observations:
Two raptors passed low along the east side of the ridge in the first hour. During the 11:00-12:00 hour, a Red-tailed Hawk passed along and above the east side of the ridge. Shortly thereafter an adult Bald Eagle traveled up the west side of the ridge, flew northwest across the valley, circled over I-70, gained elevation and glided away to the north. No local raptors were observed today.

Non-raptor Observations:
Other species seen today included: Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-billed Magpie, and Townsend’s Solitaire.

Predictions:
Following today’s storm, tomorrow’s prediction for sun and warmer temperatures could encourage a significant number of migrating birds.

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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.