Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 04, 2015 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 6 | 19 | 19 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 4 | 13 | 86 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 6 | 25 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Unknown Buteo | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total: | 17 | 55 | 178 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Alex Kelly, Mitchell Blystone |
Visitors:
A hiking group from the Colorado Mountain Club gathered around for a short explanation of the program. Around 8 or 10 other folks stopped briefly and asked raptor related questions. Also Rob Reilly stopped for a few minutes to add his spotting help.
Weather:
Warm and cloudless with only an occasional light breeze of about 1 Bft from the SE. Temperatures quickly rose from the mid-40's to near 60 F.
Raptor Observations:
Most migration activity occurred between 9:00 and 11:00 (MST) with an interesting brief flurry of both local and migrating activity in most directions and heights that challenged spotting and identifications. A few local Turkey Vultures cruised the ridge and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks flirted around the power poles east of the ridge much of the day.
Non-raptor Observations:
Also see or heard were Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, Western Scrub Jay, Common Raven, American Robin, White-throated Swift, Western Meadowlark, chickadee, Townsend's Solitare, and a flock of about 14 American Crow.
Predictions:
Possibly similar with continuing sunny and warm days.
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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