Sunday, 10 November 2024

[cobirds] Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park (10 Nov 2024) 3 Raptors

Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park
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 which is along Lookout Mountain Rd. in Golden, enter either Windy Saddle Park or Mount Zion into Google Maps on your favorite navigation app, or enter the coordinates 39.7368,-105.2454. From the parking lot ascend the stone steps to the watch site.

Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 10, 2024
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture0026
Osprey004
Bald Eagle009
Northern Harrier0719
Sharp-shinned Hawk1249
Cooper's Hawk0079
American Goshawk001
Broad-winged Hawk0015
Red-tailed Hawk212158
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk0036
Ferruginous Hawk005
Golden Eagle0311
American Kestrel00138
Merlin004
Peregrine Falcon002
Prairie Falcon002
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter000
Unknown Buteo004
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor009
Total:324571


Observation start time: 10:30:00
Observation end time: 13:30:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official CounterAjit Antony
Observers:



Visitors:
A hiker inquired whether there were raptors nesting on Lookout Mountain, and I said Yes, but I was counting migrant raptors. He wanted know how I tell, and I explained. His 6-year-old daughter asked whether my scope was a camera, and I explained it was a telescope, lowered the tripod to her height so she could see Denver so close that she could almost touch it with her extended hands.

Weather:
The prediction was for 18 mph gusts until 9 AM, light WSW wind changing to West, but at the watch it was WSW changing surprisingly at 12 noon to East – probably a ridge lift, and then ESE. The air was completely clear with visibility to 39 km.

Raptor Observations:
The 1st migrant was An RT at 11:33 AM seen to the West, an adult SS 13 minutes later over North Table Mountain flew directly at the watch and past at eye level and slightly below giving me beautiful looks, the last migrant an RT at 12:36 PM was seen to the West until Lookout Mountain where it flew eastward over, and then flew south beyond it. Non-migrant raptors: GE 1 far to the SW, BE 1 adult very low over Lookout Mountain, RT 7 including 5 soaring together far to the SW.

Non-raptor Observations:
Townsend's Solitaire 1, Common Raven 1, American Crow 4.

Predictions:
The winds all this week are similar coming from the WSW or SW or S, unfavorable for any remaining migration. I may come up again for different winds, and if not, in spring 2025.


Report submitted by Ajit Antony (aiantony@earthlink.net)
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




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