[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge (02 Mar 2016) 2 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 02, 2016
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	0	0
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	2	9	9
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	0
Golden Eagle	0	0	0
American Kestrel	0	0	0
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	0
Prairie Falcon	0	0	0
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	1	1
Total:	2	10	10

Observation start time:	09:15:00
Observation end time:	15:00:00
Total observation time:	5.75 hours
Official Counter	Paul Slingsby
Observers:	Karen Fernandez

Visitors:
Two tourists from San Francisco were going to visit the Dinosaur Visitor Center after hiking along the ridge.

Weather:
Temperature was a low of 46, rising to the high of 54 deg. F by noon. A sprinkle occurred from about 8:45 to 9:15, with NW wind of maybe 30 mph gusting to 50. Snow flurries came for a few minutes at noon. There was a calm with sun from 13:30 until 14:30. Cloud coverage was otherwise about 50%.

Raptor Observations:
Two Red-tailed Hawks were the only migrants. Two local Red-tailed Hawks were visible much of the day. A Prairie Falcon kited by almost every hour in the high winds. An adult Bald Eagle migrated north but returned 1/2 hour later. No hawks were seen during the calm period.

Non-raptor Observations:
The usual Townsend's Solitaires, Black-billed Magpies, Common Ravens, Northern Flicker and Mountain Chickadees were present. During the calm a flock of 63 American Robins passed going north low on the Rooney Road side.

Predictions:
Hawks will fly, even in the wind.

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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.

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