Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 16, 2024 | |||
| 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 | 16 | 16 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 121 | 121 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 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: | 4 | 160 | 160 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Dustin Kohler |
| Observers: | Steve Ryder , Zach Haag |
Visitors:
We had 8 visitors to the ridge today. A couple of them were runners. These women did not let 2 and a half feet of snow stop them from getting their run in!!
Weather:
Today was a mostly sunny day with little wind until the afternoon. The wind picked up and we got a few migrants. The snow was reflecting a lot of light and was still a workout to get to the site.
Raptor Observations:
Migration today was the day of immature birds (3 out of our 4 migrants today) including our first Sharpshin Hawk of the season. The Sharpie passed about 50 feet from us where we could watch the fast flaps, small head, and squared-off tail zoom past us. Two Immature Red-tailed left together both seeming unsure of themselves and where to go before working their way north together. We saw a Juvenile Bald Eagle and an adult red-tailed that might have migrated, but they went straight east from us. We also saw a local Juvenile Golden Eagle and a pair of Red-tailed hawks that were seen copulating and catching and eating mice.
Non-raptor Observations:
When watching the red-tailed hawk that flew off to the east we saw 5 sandhill cranes in the background. We got to watch local black-tailed prairie dogs unbury their burrows out from under the snow. A mouse ran across our ridge and disappeared under the central juniper tree. We also saw a drone that someone was joyriding around and definitely not following a searching pattern.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks similar to today. Sunny and reaching the 40s. If we get a more persistent wind, then I would expect a lot more migrants than the mostly dead air we had today. Snowshoes would still help but are not completely necessary to get up to the ridge.
Report submitted by Janet Peters (j.f.peters58@gmail.com)
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. American 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 10th,
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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