Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 09, 2015 | |||
| 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 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: | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
A surprising number of people, for a Monday, attempted the alternately muddy and icy trail. Some hikers and at least one biker passed by, but three hikers, two with dogs, took in the view. The hiker without a dog inquired about birds and what had been seen. A family group that managed to negotiate the trail also arrived for the view and took lots of pictures.
Weather:
Temperatures were mild. The sunny, clear blue sky had no clouds except for a few along the western horizon. Winds (beaufort 2 and 3) were initially from the west but shifted early to come consistently from the east. Visibility was good. Snow cover was incomplete and patchy but extensive throughout the valleys.
Raptor Observations:
No northward raptor migration was observed. Four local adult Red-tailed Hawks made repeated appearances from south of Mount Morrison to Cabrini Shrine, over WestRidge and the west-side valley, with one or two making appearances to the east of the HawkWatch site to do some roller-coaster maneuvers over Rooney Valley. An adult Golden Eagle was spotted south of Mount Morrison twice but made no apparent moves to migrate northward. The local Prairie Falcon was also observed to the south of Mount Morrison as it headed east, crossing the Ridge. The highlight of the day was a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk that was greeted by a flurry of five or six local Black-billed Magpies that rose as a group above ridgeline to harass it as it came north along the east side of the Ridge. It easily escaped them by climbing higher and heading east to Green Mountain. It was likely the same Sharp-shin that had been spotted twice before in Rooney Valley in the preceding half-hour; still, after the magpie encounter, it was not seen again during the afternoon.
Non-raptor Observations:
A single, northward-bound, very intent, non-raptor migrant was observed early in the morning; it was very likely a bluebird species. A group of bushtits moved north and south along the Ridge throughout the day; the group seemed to get larger as the day progressed, with many bushtits lingering in the junipers. A pair of Townsend's Solitares flitted among the trees in the morning. Between 15 to 20 Elk spent the day just east of the Cabrini Shrine. Also seen or heard were Black-billed Magpies, Western Scrub-Jay, Oregon Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Pink-sided Dark-eyed Junco, Rock Pigeon and Mountain Chickadee.
Predictions:
It should be good weather again today, with the trail improving but still muddy and icy in places.
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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