Monday 13 March 2023

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (13 Mar 2023) 21 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 13, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture000
Osprey000
Bald Eagle31212
Northern Harrier011
Sharp-shinned Hawk022
Cooper's Hawk011
Northern Goshawk033
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk136363
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk01314
Golden Eagle21414
American Kestrel111
Merlin233
Peregrine Falcon011
Prairie Falcon033
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter011
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:21121122


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official CounterAjit Antony
Observers: Liza Antony, Sammy Korengut



Visitors:
Jim Low from Wisconsin helped. Our 2 volunteers from last week Natalie and Andrew in the morning respectively were very helpful in finding raptors. Andrew in particular though it is his first year at a hawk watch was very facile with his spotting scope finding and describing raptors.

Weather:
Light winds from the SE changing to moderate winds from the East, partly cloudy, temperature 5>12>7°C, low humidity, steady barometric pressure, much haziness which cleared partly during the day, with initial clear visibility only 4 Km (Mount Morrison), with a wide band of smog to the NE.

Raptor Observations:
The 1st raptor we saw was the local RT at 9:45 AM MST. The 1st migrant was an RT at 10:20 AM which was missing R1 and R2 rectrices on the left. At 10:35 AM we had a dark morph adult RT flying directly over the watch (without any white speckling in the breast or underwing coverts to distinguish Harlan's Hawk). The 2 Merlin behaved true to form and attacked an adult BE and an RT on their flight North. An adult GE at 11:20 AM which initially looked like a migrant turned around and flew south. The 2 migrant GE at 3:30 PM and 3:45 PM low over the western ridge. A local Subadult III BE with a black terminal tail band on a white tail and a white head no distinct black through the eye. Many local RT sightings. Liza was superb as usual spotting distant raptors as did Shmuel (Sammy). Of the 3 migrating BE â€" one was an adult; 1 was Basic I with an irregular trailing edge to its wings, white axillars, dark body; the other probably a Juvenile had white axillars and coverts with a dark head, body but missing 2 central tail feathers.

Non-raptor Observations:
Townsend's Solitaire 3, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 1, Mountain Chickadee 1, Common Raven 8, Northern Flicker heard. Elk 21 and 12 in 2 groups, Mule Deer 8. 4 paragliders to the NW.


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

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 hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch 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, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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