Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 12, 2018 | |||
| 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 61 | 61 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 0 | 66 | 66 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Many hikers and bikers were on the trail today. Several visitors came up to the HawkWatch Platform, but mostly only for the view. One hiker, with a leashed and well-behaved dog, inquired about where the trail led southward. An off-trail group of about a dozen hikers crossed the platform from the north, barely taking in the view before continuing south.
Weather:
The day was partly cloudy with scattered, thin, flat clouds that thickened throughout the day; cloud-cover increased from 50 to 70 percent. Early morning winds were mild (bft 1 and 2) and came briefly from the south but soon blew mostly from the northeast. Average wind speed and gusts increased during the watch to bft 3 and 4. Early morning visibility was good, but was later decreased somewhat by a smoky haze which became evident across the southern view by midday. Temperatures varied from 5 C to 12 C. Small areas of patchy snow remain in shady or sheltered spots along the western ridges.
Raptor Observations:
After yesterday's good number of migrants, expectations for today were elevated. However, this day, no raptors were observed migrating. Local raptor activity was also generally slow. In the morning, three local Red-tailed Hawks had a brief altercation near Mount Morrison Towers; two of the hawks then circled together to the south, dropping legs. Later in the afternoon, the local Red-tailed Hawks were finally seen again: circling south on the Ridge, doing roller-coaster moves over the western ridges or circling low, hunting in the western valley. The raptor highlight of the day was a local, male American Kestrel that sped north up the east side of the Ridge in the morning, only to stop and, somewhat lazily, perch-hunt from a power line for about a half-hour. His repeated low swoops north and south along the eastern flank of the Ridge, returning to his power-line perch between each pass, certainly seemed to quiet all the little birds in the area for a time.
Non-raptor Observations:
At least four Townsend's Solitaires appeared to move up and down the Ridge during the day; it was a treat to hear some short snatches of song as well as the usual single-note whistle. A pair of Bushtits spent a few hours near the platform in the morning, not following the group of five or so that moved north along the eastern side of Ridge during that same time-frame. Mid-morning, a sun-lit, bright blue, male Mountain Bluebird passed the platform going north; a flock of fifteen-to-twenty more Mountain Bluebirds also migrated north along the western side of the Ridge in the last hour of the watch. A pair of Common Ravens were spotted throughout the day, often flying in tight flight formation performing aerobatic maneuvers. Several American Crows were spotted up and down the valleys and occasionally along the western ridges and Mount Morrison. Six Elk were seen near the top of Bare Slope. Also seen or heard were Black-billed Magpie, a goose species (far south), American Robin, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Gray-headed Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, and a rabbit.
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff.birek@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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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