Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 23, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Osprey | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 25 | 25 |
| Northern Harrier | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 4 | 9 | 9 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 17 | 195 | 195 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Merlin | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 31 | 272 | 272 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Dustin Kohler |
| Observers: | Ajit Antony, DFO Field trip, Lori Morton, Michelle and Grant Hardy, Zach Haag |
Visitors:
We had 39 visitors to the ridge today including Michelle and Grant Hardy who stayed up with us for 45 minutes helping us spot and track the raptors, we appreciated the help! We also had two visitors today from Austria and from the village next door to where they make the Swarvoski Spotting Scopes.
Weather:
For half the day we had a mostly sunny day with a southeastern wind, and the second half we had a mostly overcast day with a Northeastern wind. We had the most migrants when it was partly cloudy with a Southeastern wind.
Raptor Observations:
Today was our most diverse day of the season, so far. We got our first of the year Northern Harrier, Osprey, Turkey Vulture, and Merlin. Most of our Migrants were either above us or to the west of us. Our first for sure Merlin was attacked by a second Merlin, but the attacker turned back south as the original Merlin kept flying North. Our first Turkey Vulture was flying with two others, but we only saw one of the three migrate North. The other two could be hanging around before leaving. Our juvenile Cooper's Hawk hugged our ridge on the western-facing side. She (I think a she) barely flapped as she followed the rising and falling landscape, before cruising to the North. There was some white on the upper wing coverts, and after referencing my library of field guides in my backpack, we ruled out juvenile Goshawk leaving juvenile Cooper's Hawk for the ID. Today is the first time that I have seen a migrant in all 8, hour time slots! In addition to our migrants we also saw two local Sharp-shin (or the same one twice) flying to the South about an hour apart.
Non-raptor Observations:
Ajit brought his fake owl on a pole and stuck it in the center juniper today. No raptors seem bothered by it including the second Merlin that probably passed within 100 feet of the fake owl, but we did have my first on the ridge Red-breasted Nuthatch yell at it a few times from a nearby tree. We also saw the herd of Elk between bare slope and the Apex Houses and a herd of Mule Deer on Green Mountain.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks to be full of rain, thunderstorms, and eventually snow. A shortened or canceled count could occur. I will check the weather again tomorrow and make a decision then. If you are volunteering and we cancel you will be notified by text or email.
Report submitted by Official Counter (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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