Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (16 Mar 2025) 9 Raptors
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Mar 16, 2025, 11:56:27 PM3/16/25
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
We had a great support team today on the ridge with up to 5 observers assisting at one time. Both our Sunday observer, Laura Farnsworth, and intern, Haley Caron, were with us today! A total of 55 visitors were counted at the hawk watch today, most of them being seen in the morning to early afternoon.
Weather:
Winds were moderate from the moment we stepped foot on the ridge today. The highest gusts were measured at ~20 mph when we were able to get a reading in time. Winds varied in direction and speed all day but came predominantly from the West. Cirrus clouds spiraled around the sky all day.
Raptor Observations:
As west winds tend to be our least productive, we were nervous from the start today. It didn't take long to start spotting our local RTs, and by the second hour of the day we had migrants. Our highlight of the day was an overhead PR that gave all of our observers an amazing look at the dark "armpits" that can help ID these birds. Many of our migrants today came overhead on the same line, including a CH in the afternoon. We continue to see migrating eagles and RT, many of them higher than the smaller birds today. Local RT (5) activity continues to be almost constant throughout the day. Local GE (3) activity was also present today, with a few birds acting as escorts for our migrating GE. One non-migrant BE was also seen today. *We are trouble shooting our non-raptor notes section currently, please forgive us for the incomplete lists.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 3, Mountain Bluebird 3
Predictions:
Strong winds from the SW predicted tomorrow, 20+ mph with 40+ mph gusts. A Red Flag warning has been issued for Jefferson County. Winds will be monitored in the morning to determine if predictions are correct. *If you are on the volunteer schedule for tomorrow, please check the calendar and your email/texts before leaving to the site. As always, we will update the calendar & do our best to let you know of a cancelled count day.*
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 16, 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 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 56 | 56 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 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: | 9 | 90 | 90 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley |
| Observers: | Archer Silverman, Bill Hopping, Chris Gulbransen , Diana Hornick, Haley Caron, Laura Farnsworth, Sachiel Oberto |
Visitors:
We had a great support team today on the ridge with up to 5 observers assisting at one time. Both our Sunday observer, Laura Farnsworth, and intern, Haley Caron, were with us today! A total of 55 visitors were counted at the hawk watch today, most of them being seen in the morning to early afternoon.
Weather:
Winds were moderate from the moment we stepped foot on the ridge today. The highest gusts were measured at ~20 mph when we were able to get a reading in time. Winds varied in direction and speed all day but came predominantly from the West. Cirrus clouds spiraled around the sky all day.
Raptor Observations:
As west winds tend to be our least productive, we were nervous from the start today. It didn't take long to start spotting our local RTs, and by the second hour of the day we had migrants. Our highlight of the day was an overhead PR that gave all of our observers an amazing look at the dark "armpits" that can help ID these birds. Many of our migrants today came overhead on the same line, including a CH in the afternoon. We continue to see migrating eagles and RT, many of them higher than the smaller birds today. Local RT (5) activity continues to be almost constant throughout the day. Local GE (3) activity was also present today, with a few birds acting as escorts for our migrating GE. One non-migrant BE was also seen today. *We are trouble shooting our non-raptor notes section currently, please forgive us for the incomplete lists.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 3, Mountain Bluebird 3
Predictions:
Strong winds from the SW predicted tomorrow, 20+ mph with 40+ mph gusts. A Red Flag warning has been issued for Jefferson County. Winds will be monitored in the morning to determine if predictions are correct. *If you are on the volunteer schedule for tomorrow, please check the calendar and your email/texts before leaving to the site. As always, we will update the calendar & do our best to let you know of a cancelled count day.*
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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