[cobirds] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (23 Apr 2015) 13 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 23, 2015
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	1	81	81
Osprey	0	8	8
Bald Eagle	0	0	1
Northern Harrier	0	1	2
Sharp-shinned Hawk	3	32	38
Cooper's Hawk	1	55	58
Northern Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	2	8	8
Red-tailed Hawk	1	54	127
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	1
Swainson's Hawk	0	4	4
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	2
Golden Eagle	0	2	5
American Kestrel	1	81	100
Merlin	0	4	4
Peregrine Falcon	0	3	6
Prairie Falcon	0	1	3
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	4	19	23
Unknown Buteo	0	7	10
Unknown Falcon	0	2	3
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	9	10
Total:	13	371	494

Observation start time:	07:30:00
Observation end time:	13:00:00
Total observation time:	5.5 hours
Official Counter	Roger Rouch
Observers:	Claude Vallieres

Visitors:
Craig Tessmer visited much of the afternoon mostly to check things out and take photos. Rob Reilly provided his good spotting skills for about an hour.

Weather:
A clear morning with clouds increasing to mostly cloudy by day's end. Temperatures from the mid-50's to low 60's with a wind mostly from the SE at about 2 Bft. NOTE: With little warning of approaching storm a bolt of lightning streaked over the ridge into the Red Rocks area quickly followed by a few other close strikes. The watch was immediately terminated at 14:00 (DST).

Raptor Observations:
Morning migration began with fairly low altitude naked eye birds over the ridge, becoming higher through the morning (including two fairly high Broad-winged Hawks), and ending the day with a few distant accipiter eye- strainers over the west ridge line. A typical assortment of local Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture and a Cooper's Hawk.

Non-raptor Observations:
Also seen or heard were Spotted Towhee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Flicker, Bushtit, Black-billed Magpie, Western Scrub Jay, Western Meadowlark, Common Raven, American Crow, American Robin, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Mountain Chickadee.

Predictions:
BE AWARE of unsettled weather with possible lighting the next few days. At least today, the watch started a little earlier than normal (8:30 DST) and there was some early migration at the beginning of the day with the warmer temperatures and early sun.

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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.