[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge (15 Mar 2016) 7 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 15, 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	1	6	6
Northern Harrier	0	2	2
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0	2	2
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	5	78	78
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	1	1
Golden Eagle	0	0	0
American Kestrel	0	5	5
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	1	1
Prairie Falcon	0	2	2
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	0	1	1
Unknown Buteo	1	6	6
Unknown Falcon	0	3	3
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	2	2
Total:	7	109	109

Observation start time:	08:00:00
Observation end time:	14:00:00
Total observation time:	6 hours
Official Counter	Bill Flowers
Observers:	Bill Wuerthele

Visitors:
No visitors on this windy, cold day. Three mountain bikers, two joggers, and one dog walker were seen passing the site.

Weather:
The day started windy and ended windy, ranging from 15 to 40 mph. It was mostly sunny, but we had some snow spitting on us around the lunch hour.

Raptor Observations:
Some of resident Red-tailed Hawks were seen with one escorting a migrant Red-tailed Hawk. Most of the migrant Red-tailed Hawks were seen from 1:30 to 2:30 MDT just above the Hawkwatch site. It made identification easier. It also seemed the hawks were flying in pairs with the second hawk following the first hawk about 1 minute later and using the same flight path.

Non-raptor Observations:
The following birds were seen/heard: Black-billed Magpie, Western Scrub-Jay, American Robin, Townsend's Solitaire, Rock Dove, Bushtits, Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Ravens, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Western Meadowlark. Several Mule Deer were seen leaving the ridge and crossing CR 93 to the west.

Predictions:
Probably similar migrant activity, but it could be better since the temperature will be higher and the winds slightly less.

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Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff.birek@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.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 Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.

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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