Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (15 Mar 2025) 7 Raptors
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Mar 15, 2025, 10:14:51 PM3/15/25
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Thank you to all of our volunteers today and to Laura Campbell for aiding in the count. 8 visitors came up to the platform today.
Weather:
Sporadic winds based in the E throughout the day. Overall large amounts of cloud cover. Sun in the last hour of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Today was a really interesting day with migrants! 7 migrants, 6 species, and no migrating Red-tailed Hawks. Our 2nd Rough-legged Hawk of the season made an appearance over the W ridge, initially spotted tussling with a migratory GOEA to the right of Mount Morrison. We followed both of the birds N till they vanished out of sight. 2 FEHA were counted today, the 2nd made a close pass along the W side of the platform, giving us great close looks before circling right above us and heading N. We had our first migrating Merlin far under the horizon going north in front of Morrison before continuing across I70. An adult Cooper's Hawk, followed by an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk about 15 minutes apart ended the day, giving us great close looks along the platform and allowing volunteers to compare the differences of these two amazing birds. Local raptors consisted of 2 adult BAEA, 1 male AMKE, and 4 Red-tailed Hawks. RTHA activity was the lowest I've seen so far this season. Interesting day for the RTHA.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-capped Chickadee 2, Mountain Bluebird 16, American Robin 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Tomorrow brings scatted cloud cover and S to SW wings throughout, temps up to 15C.
Report submitted by Official Counter (j.f.pe...@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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. American 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
Hawk Counter(s) and volunteers from March through early May.
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)
Golden, Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 15, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 51 | 51 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 7 | 81 | 81 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Audrey Anderson |
| Observers: | Bob Mitchell, Haley Caron, Jerry Arni, Laura Campbell |
Visitors:
Thank you to all of our volunteers today and to Laura Campbell for aiding in the count. 8 visitors came up to the platform today.
Weather:
Sporadic winds based in the E throughout the day. Overall large amounts of cloud cover. Sun in the last hour of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Today was a really interesting day with migrants! 7 migrants, 6 species, and no migrating Red-tailed Hawks. Our 2nd Rough-legged Hawk of the season made an appearance over the W ridge, initially spotted tussling with a migratory GOEA to the right of Mount Morrison. We followed both of the birds N till they vanished out of sight. 2 FEHA were counted today, the 2nd made a close pass along the W side of the platform, giving us great close looks before circling right above us and heading N. We had our first migrating Merlin far under the horizon going north in front of Morrison before continuing across I70. An adult Cooper's Hawk, followed by an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk about 15 minutes apart ended the day, giving us great close looks along the platform and allowing volunteers to compare the differences of these two amazing birds. Local raptors consisted of 2 adult BAEA, 1 male AMKE, and 4 Red-tailed Hawks. RTHA activity was the lowest I've seen so far this season. Interesting day for the RTHA.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-capped Chickadee 2, Mountain Bluebird 16, American Robin 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Tomorrow brings scatted cloud cover and S to SW wings throughout, temps up to 15C.
Report submitted by Official Counter (j.f.pe...@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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. American 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
Hawk Counter(s) and volunteers from March through early May.
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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