Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (06 Apr 2025) 44 Raptors
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Thank you to all who supported the count today! We really enjoy getting to share the wonders of migration with you all. We saw a total of 59 visitors at the site today, including one birder from TX. Can't make it out to the ridge and still want to follow along? Check out our Trektellen page and follow along with live updates at https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/4515/20250301 .
Weather:
The ridge is finally warming up again after a cold spell of almost a week. The sun was out for most of the day with scattered clouds. By the end of the day heavier cloud cover and some Verga was seen west of us. Winds were from the NE for most of the day, shifting NW towards the end.
Raptor Observations:
Migration picked back up today with our nicer weather. Birds flew consistently for most of the day overhead and west of us. Many migrants were seen flying with other birds, both migrating and local. Diversity continues to increase at Dinosaur Ridge, signaling our approach towards peak season! The highlight of the day was watching two eagles, a BE and a GE, lock talons and "cartwheel" towards the ground for a few seconds. These birds didn't get anywhere near the ground, and the GE immediately headed north after this interaction. These birds were spotted right as they locked talons, so further understanding of their prior interaction is lacking. We have seen two RT engage in this behavior at this site before, but have never seen it intra-species. Super interesting! Non-migrant raptor activity was very high today with local birds increasing their territorial behaviors. Many escorted migrants through, some just following birds, others leading with aggression. The local PG was spotted briefly today on its own.
Non-raptor Observations:
We had a great visitor today, a juvenile Williamson's Sapsucker! This bird landed on our tallest dead Ponderosa Pine for a minute or two before departing. Not too long after this bird left, a Downy Woodpecker showed up on the same spot on the tree. Passerine activity increased today in comparison to the last few days. Bluebirds continue to be spotted, while Meadowlarks and Towhees continue to spend the day singing. White-throated Swift 5, Williamson's Sapsucker 1, Downy Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1, Black-billed Magpie 2, Common Raven 2, Tree Swallow 1, Mountain Bluebird 7, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Spotted Towhee 1, Western Meadowlark 2
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks to potentially have a better migration than today, with warmer temperatures, and winds from the SE for at least some of the day. The trail has dried up since our last precipitation event.
Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinor...@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: Apr 06, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 11 | 27 | 68 |
| Osprey | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 3 | 30 |
| Northern Harrier | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 7 | 35 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 8 | 11 | 60 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 9 | 31 | 296 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 2 | 5 | 20 |
| Golden Eagle | 2 | 2 | 21 |
| American Kestrel | 6 | 15 | 117 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total: | 44 | 110 | 683 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley |
| Observers: | Archer Silverman, Laura Farnsworth, Ryan Gannon |
Visitors:
Thank you to all who supported the count today! We really enjoy getting to share the wonders of migration with you all. We saw a total of 59 visitors at the site today, including one birder from TX. Can't make it out to the ridge and still want to follow along? Check out our Trektellen page and follow along with live updates at https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/4515/20250301 .
Weather:
The ridge is finally warming up again after a cold spell of almost a week. The sun was out for most of the day with scattered clouds. By the end of the day heavier cloud cover and some Verga was seen west of us. Winds were from the NE for most of the day, shifting NW towards the end.
Raptor Observations:
Migration picked back up today with our nicer weather. Birds flew consistently for most of the day overhead and west of us. Many migrants were seen flying with other birds, both migrating and local. Diversity continues to increase at Dinosaur Ridge, signaling our approach towards peak season! The highlight of the day was watching two eagles, a BE and a GE, lock talons and "cartwheel" towards the ground for a few seconds. These birds didn't get anywhere near the ground, and the GE immediately headed north after this interaction. These birds were spotted right as they locked talons, so further understanding of their prior interaction is lacking. We have seen two RT engage in this behavior at this site before, but have never seen it intra-species. Super interesting! Non-migrant raptor activity was very high today with local birds increasing their territorial behaviors. Many escorted migrants through, some just following birds, others leading with aggression. The local PG was spotted briefly today on its own.
Non-raptor Observations:
We had a great visitor today, a juvenile Williamson's Sapsucker! This bird landed on our tallest dead Ponderosa Pine for a minute or two before departing. Not too long after this bird left, a Downy Woodpecker showed up on the same spot on the tree. Passerine activity increased today in comparison to the last few days. Bluebirds continue to be spotted, while Meadowlarks and Towhees continue to spend the day singing. White-throated Swift 5, Williamson's Sapsucker 1, Downy Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1, Black-billed Magpie 2, Common Raven 2, Tree Swallow 1, Mountain Bluebird 7, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Spotted Towhee 1, Western Meadowlark 2
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks to potentially have a better migration than today, with warmer temperatures, and winds from the SE for at least some of the day. The trail has dried up since our last precipitation event.
Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinor...@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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