Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (29 Mar 2023) 111 Raptors
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Mar 29, 2023, 11:11:22 PM3/29/23
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Huge thank you to Gary Rossmiller, Sammy Korengut, Jim Lowe, Kathy Barnum, Taina Brin, and Debbie Seiden for your help spotting distant migrants today. Visitors were slow today with a total of 17 visitors at the count site, most of them passing through briefly with one or two questions.
Weather:
Todays warm temperatures were a nice relief from the cold week we had last week. Winds were mild and varied throughout the day, but we saw a nice east wind during the bulk of the day. Cloud cover was light to start but got heavier as the day went on, bringing in darker clouds in the last hour. Temperatures dropped around 1530 MST.
Raptor Observations:
Today was a great day for migration and our biggest day so far. We love this time in migration as we see more and more migrants coming our way. Almost all of our migrants were seen taking the western ridge today, with some high overhead birds mid-day. We did, however, get to see a small kettle of TV (5) come through the western valley high, which was a nice treat for us. As usual most of our AK came directly along the ridge at eye-level, and we also got to see a gorgeous adult CH come along the same line, allowing us to naked eye ID the bird, something we did not get much of today. Our species diversity continues to impress, with 11 migrating raptor species seen today, including all three species of North American Accipiters. Non-migrant activity today was seen in aerial displays from RT, including one dark-morph bird and the local GE. A SS was seen early in the morning coming north along the ridge but dove on something below the count site.
Non-raptor Observations:
Two GBHE were seen separately through the day moving north, one on each side of the ridge. The Western bird came through slowly and at eye-level, a look most of us have not gotten of a GBHE. We had a first of the season spotted multiple times today- the WTSW! The rest of the non-raptor activity was standard with species including TOSO, AMRO, HOFI, SCJA, BBMA, CORA, and AMCR seen. 2 Mule Deer were seen along the trail on the hike out.
Predictions:
Winds are supposed to pick up for the next two days with red flag warnings issued for our count area until Friday at 7pm. As always we are hoping these predictions are dramatic and we can count some more migrants!
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
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]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - [Project Details]
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. Northern 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 14th,
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)
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 29, 2023 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 11 | 15 | 15 |
| Osprey | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Bald Eagle | 5 | 31 | 31 |
| Northern Harrier | 2 | 11 | 11 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 10 | 18 | 18 |
| Northern Goshawk | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 59 | 290 | 290 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 39 | 40 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 26 | 26 |
| American Kestrel | 16 | 60 | 60 |
| Merlin | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total: | 111 | 533 | 534 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley |
| Observers: | Debbie Seiden, Gary Rossmiller, Jim Lowe, Kathy Barnum, Sammy Korengut, Taina Brin |
Visitors:
Huge thank you to Gary Rossmiller, Sammy Korengut, Jim Lowe, Kathy Barnum, Taina Brin, and Debbie Seiden for your help spotting distant migrants today. Visitors were slow today with a total of 17 visitors at the count site, most of them passing through briefly with one or two questions.
Weather:
Todays warm temperatures were a nice relief from the cold week we had last week. Winds were mild and varied throughout the day, but we saw a nice east wind during the bulk of the day. Cloud cover was light to start but got heavier as the day went on, bringing in darker clouds in the last hour. Temperatures dropped around 1530 MST.
Raptor Observations:
Today was a great day for migration and our biggest day so far. We love this time in migration as we see more and more migrants coming our way. Almost all of our migrants were seen taking the western ridge today, with some high overhead birds mid-day. We did, however, get to see a small kettle of TV (5) come through the western valley high, which was a nice treat for us. As usual most of our AK came directly along the ridge at eye-level, and we also got to see a gorgeous adult CH come along the same line, allowing us to naked eye ID the bird, something we did not get much of today. Our species diversity continues to impress, with 11 migrating raptor species seen today, including all three species of North American Accipiters. Non-migrant activity today was seen in aerial displays from RT, including one dark-morph bird and the local GE. A SS was seen early in the morning coming north along the ridge but dove on something below the count site.
Non-raptor Observations:
Two GBHE were seen separately through the day moving north, one on each side of the ridge. The Western bird came through slowly and at eye-level, a look most of us have not gotten of a GBHE. We had a first of the season spotted multiple times today- the WTSW! The rest of the non-raptor activity was standard with species including TOSO, AMRO, HOFI, SCJA, BBMA, CORA, and AMCR seen. 2 Mule Deer were seen along the trail on the hike out.
Predictions:
Winds are supposed to pick up for the next two days with red flag warnings issued for our count area until Friday at 7pm. As always we are hoping these predictions are dramatic and we can count some more migrants!
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
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]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - [Project Details]
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. Northern 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 14th,
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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