Denver, Colorado, USA
This is a new raptor migration site identified and designated so, only in mid-September 2024, since Colorado has no fall raptor migration hawk watch.
| Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 15 | 15 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 24 | 24 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 21 | 21 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| American Kestrel | 3 | 33 | 33 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 10 | 106 | 106 |
| Observation start time: | 07:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 4 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Visitors:
1 hiker was interested and asked questions about raptor migration.
Weather:
We got to the Hawk Watch today at 8:00 a.m. MDT to see if any SS were moving early as they did in NY, as well as because there was a thunderstorm predicted after noon. We were curious to see what South winds would bring in the way of migrants. Unlike Dinosaur Ridge, there was no disparity between the predicted winds and the observed winds at this site. The prediction was for West winds at 8:00 a.m., changing to SSW to SW. They were quite strong at Level 4 on the Beaufort scale (20 - 29 km/h = 12.4 - 18 mph). My scope and tripod fell over once, but I caught it with my quick reflexes before it hit the ground! I then placed it flat on a rock until I needed it. Temperature between 59 and 73°F, humidity 27-36%, steady barometric pressure, increasing cloud cover from 10 to 50%, unlimited visibility all the way to Denver International Airport and Mount Blue Sky 39 km/24 miles.
Raptor Observations:
For the first hour there was not a single raptor, let alone migrants seen. I looked up earth.nullschool.net to see the prevailing winds and there seem to be two bands of strong South winds both East and West of the site. I felt that there would be weak flight today based on South winds which would be inimical to Southbound migrants, and perhaps they could sense the storm coming using infrasound, and not fly today. https://tinyurl.com/9r8mnssh https://journeynorth.org/tm/eagle/WeatherBarometer.html South Winds may also be too strong for smaller raptors to fly South against. The 1st migrant raptor, a TV was only seen at 8:46 AM MST. We had our 1st PG of the season, an adult as it was molting. Non-migrant raptors: TV 3.
Non-raptor Observations:
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Steller Jay 2, Mountain Chickadee 2, Rock Wren 2, White-throated Swift 2, Bushtit 10, Common Raven 1, Spotted Towhee 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, American Robin 1. 1 hot air balloon to the NE.
Predictions:
Sunny, with a high near 80. West southwest wind around 8 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon. We plan to come back tomorrow when the winds predicted of a similar direction, but lighter. If we have a much better flight could be that the raptors sensed the storm was over and could fly, or because the winds were lighter. If the flight is poor like today, it would indicate that South based winds are not conducive to fall raptor migration at this site.
Report submitted by Ajit Antony (aiantony@earthlink.net)
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