Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 12, 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 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 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 | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 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 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 4 | 18 | 18 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:45:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Mitchell Blystone |
Visitors:
Ann Ziegler, a volunteer from several years ago, stopped for a while. Also a short but interesting discussion with a vacationing Ontario, Canada couple who live near the Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch.
Weather:
Partly cloudy all day with temps rising from near 50F to the low 60's. Wind was consistently from the SE and calm in the early morning but gradually increasing to about 3 Bft. by day's end.
Raptor Observations:
Few migrating raptors, but an interesting species mix with a male N. Harrier flying low and progressing north to do a few altitude gaining spirals past the north end of the ridge, a high flying accipiter bee-lining north, and a nice view of a Rough-legged Hawk being harassed for some time by a raven. Local Kestrel(s) sighted four times and a local Prairie Falcon. Local Red-tailed Hawks were common from late morning to day's end.
Non-raptor Observations:
See or heard included Rock Pigeon, Western Meadow Lark, Bushtit, Dark-eyed Junco, a marauding band of 6 or 8 Western Scrub Jay, a flight of 15-20 American Robin going north, Black-billed Magpie, Townsend's Solitaire, and Common Raven. (Note that all period count times are converted to MST)
Predictions:
Unsettled weather could make for an interesting day (perhaps one way or another).
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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