Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2014 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 25 | 25 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 15 | 15 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 6 | 129 | 129 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 14 | 14 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Total: | 12 | 229 | 229 |
| Observation start time: | 09:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Lee Farrell |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Bob Holmes, Francis Commercon, Jeanette Strom, Nathan Berry, Rob Reilly |
Visitors:
A number of visitors stopped by the station and inquired as to what we were doing and about the HawkWatch. Bea Slingsby stopped by briefly to check on our progress.
Weather:
An overcast day with mild temperatures and low winds during the morning and early afternoon provided a tolerable day weather wise. High clouds covering the sky in the morning were relatively thin, condensation trails of jet airliners passing above could be seen through the clouds. The cloud layer thickened to heavier overcast around noontime. Comparatively light winds were variable in direction until the 1:00 PM hour when they picked up to 3 and then 4 (bft) out of the northwest.
Raptor Observations:
The 10:00 AM hour provided 5 migrating raptors, no other hour of the day had more than 2. During the morning hours most of the migrants were at or below the elevation of the station. Later in the day both migrants and residents soared very high in the sky, often at or beyond binocular range where their paths seemed to inevitably find the sun. This often required a significant effort and arm strength to discern migrating birds. A Ferruginous Hawk and early migrating Turkey Vulture provided the highlights of the day. Local raptors observed included: Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Great Horned Owl was heard on the way up the trail in the morning. Other bird species seen or heard included: American Crow, Common Raven, Dark-eyed Junco, Townsend’s Solitaire, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, White-throated Swift, Mountain Chickadee, Western Scrub Jay, Black-billed Magpie, Western Meadowlark, and Northern Flicker.
Predictions:
The high winds predicted for tomorrow should help to keep whatever migrating birds there might be down close to the elevation of the station and in a determined flight pattern to the north.
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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