Monday 21 March 2016

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge (21 Mar 2016) 11 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 21, 2016
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture011
Osprey000
Bald Eagle088
Northern Harrier022
Sharp-shinned Hawk022
Cooper's Hawk000
Northern Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk5136136
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk122
Golden Eagle011
American Kestrel288
Merlin000
Peregrine Falcon011
Prairie Falcon133
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter022
Unknown Buteo21010
Unknown Falcon044
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:11182182


Observation start time: 07:45:00
Observation end time: 14:30:00
Total observation time: 6.75 hours
Official CounterJoyce Commercon
Observers:



Visitors:
Several hikers, some families with children, and bikers were on the trails today. A number came up for the view and most inquired about the watch.

Weather:
It was a pleasant, semi-sunny day with 70-80% cloud-cover, which was somewhat thin in places at times. The light, patchy snow covering the ridges and valleys melted somewhat as temperatures rose. Light winds (bft 2 or less) came from the west initially but shifted early in the morning, continuing from the east. Temperatures ranged from 9 to 17 C (48 to 63 F).

Raptor Observations:
The bulk of the migrant activity occurred during the 10:00am MST hour when several small groups of raptors circled up in the growing warmth of the day. The highlight of this busy hour was a dark-morph Ferruginous Hawk migrant (of unknown age). A second "raptor" highlight of the day was a local Peregrine Falcon that was seen at eyelevel, heading south over the west valley.

Non-raptor Observations:
A Brown Creeper moved north through the HawkWatch platform at noon. Several male Western Bluebirds hung around the ridge for a large part of the day, kept company by a fair number of Bushtits, as well as a group of 5 or 6 Townsend's Solitaires, that often flitted up and down the Ridge. A dozen elk were observed below Cabrini Shrine in the morning. Also seen or heard were Western Meadowlark, Northern Flicker, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Common Raven, Western Scrub-Jay, American Robin, Rock Pigeon, a rabbit and a mule deer.


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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