Thursday, 5 November 2026

[cobirds] Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park (05 Nov 2026) 4 Raptors

Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park
Golden, Greater Denver, Colorado, USA

To see hourly weather data and details of migrant raptors, look up this watch at hawkcount.org. This is a new raptor migration site identified and designated in mid-September 2024. This is Colorado's 1st fall hawk watch site, and the second hawk watch in Colorado. 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. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO THE HAWK WATCH TO ENJOY THE SPECTACLE OF RAPTOR MIGRATION, EVEN IF YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IDENTIFYING RAPTORS IN FLIGHT. We will help you to learn Raptor ID if you are interested. See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk

Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 05, 2026
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 270
Osprey 0 1 30
Bald Eagle 1 1 8
Northern Harrier 0 1 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 1 52
Cooper's Hawk 1 8 296
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 109
Red-tailed Hawk 1 54 742
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 194
Ferruginous Hawk 0 0 3
Golden Eagle 0 3 35
American Kestrel 1 7 152
Merlin 0 0 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 1
Prairie Falcon 0 0 2
Mississippi Kite 0 0 0
Unknown Accipitrine 0 0 4
Unknown Buteo 0 0 9
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 19
Total: 4 76 1963


Observation start time: 09:15:00
Observation end time: 14:45:00
Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter Liza Antony
Observers:



Visitors:
None

Weather:
A cold start for the watch with a starting temperature of 5 C.A Haze was noted over Denver which cleared by 11 AM. Minimal clouds present with none over Lookout Mtn.

Raptor Observations:
The first raptor was a CH noted only by 11:16 AM. The bird was seen through the eastern most antenna of Lookout Mtn. Only 4 migrant raptors seen. Non migrant raptors: RT 3

Non-raptor Observations:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S408268922 As I was hiking up to the watch I saw 3 CASSIN'S FINCH and I thought they would be highlight of the day for me, but I was mistaken. Shortly after the start of the watch I heard the distinctive call of a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL. I followed the sound and saw it in a tree 10 feet away. It made my day!!

Predictions:
Mostly cloudy with a high near 56F.Winds from the NE in the afternoon.


Report submitted by Liza Antony (liza.antony15@gmail.com)
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




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