Golden, Greater Denver, Colorado, USA
This is a new raptor migration site identified and designated so only in mid-September 2024. This is Colorado's 1st fall hawk watch. To get to the site, enter either Windy Saddle Park or Mount Zion into Google Maps on your favorite navigation app, or enter the coordinates 39.7368,-105.2454
| Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 01, 2024 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 | 2 | 23 |
| Osprey | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 5 | 5 | 29 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 11 | 11 | 59 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 11 | 11 | 82 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 1 | 1 | 35 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 16 | 16 | 127 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Total: | 51 | 51 | 406 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Visitors:
A visitor said it was "awesome" when we explained what we were doing. Tom Barron, a software engineer from Denver and originally from Tennessee had undergone training as a glider pilot, so we had a lot to talk about about thermals, thermal formation, how it feels to be in the thermal, how they detect thermals in a glider, raptor migration, raptor ID, Hawkcount.org, general meteorology, the Peaklens app which identifies peaks from any spot. This was his 1st visit to the top of Mount Zion, which he declared was the best view with the least effort â€" eventually we chatted for over 2 hours, while still looking for and identifying raptors; at one point pointed out 4 that he could see against the blue sky that we hadn't. I told me was very welcome anytime he wanted to come and help us.
Weather:
Hazier than yesterday, due to large wildfires in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, to the extent that we could just about see Denver downtown knowing where it was; clear visibility reduced to 4 km, then somewhat clearer to 6 km; light winds from the ENE, temperature 16-25°C; cloud cover 50% initially but mostly to the West, South and SE, then decreasing rapidly to 0% . There was wide band of brown smog from N to E, which Tom Barron a visitor told me was actually an inversion layer. This was the 1st morning which was chilly to the extent of having to wear a jacket and gloves.
Raptor Observations:
We were sure we were missing distant raptors in the thick haze. Also the particulate matter would scatter sunlight and reduce thermal formation. The 1st migrant was an RT, way SE over Green Mountain at 9:29 AM MST. Again, most of them were found to the east and SE with only a few overhead, and of course the Kestrel channel below and SE of us was active. Bird of the day: dark morph adult Swainson's Hawk with a dark body and underwing coverts ventrally, and a 2-tone upper wing with darker flight feathers and pointed wingtips, and with a brown tail. Non- migrant raptors: GE adult chased to the NNW by 2 RT, RT 6, TV 1. This was the 2nd highest daily count we've had at this watch ever, which means since September 11, 2024 when we started the watch!
Non-raptor Observations:
A paraglider took off as we got to the watch and did not have any lift and soon landed. 2 others had the same problem with lift staying below us. Sandhill Crane 20, then 7 then 1; Townsend's Solitaire 1; Rock Wren 2; Common Raven 3; Mountain Chickadee 1;
Predictions:
NW winds at 8 mph â€" a direction if it holds true that we haven't experienced at this site â€" so very curious. We will be counting tomorrow.
Report submitted by Ajit Antony (aiantony@earthlink.net)
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Directions to site:
From I-70 from Northeast Denver, take Route 58, then a left turn going south on
Route 6, the 1st exit is for Lookout Mountain Road, turn right and follow the
clothes to find Windy Saddle Park parking lot on the right.
From I-70 from points west of Denver, take the Lookout Mountain Road and follow
it to the Windy Saddle Park parking lot, a longer route.
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