Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (26 Aug 2025) 1 Raptors
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Aug 26, 2025, 5:59:53 PMAug 26
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Weather:
weather.gov for Golden predicted 70% cloud cover so Liza stayed home, as last week with a similar prediction the actual cloud cover at the watch was 90% with few migrants. I went to the watch to see if this was a consistent phenomenon, and at the watch there was only about 45% cloud cover, high cirrus clouds with filtered sunlight. I wondered whether this would be enough to create adequate thermals or not. I checked earth.nullschool.net which showed that the winds aloft were light and from the south, which may explain why there were very few migrant raptors. Near the end of the watch, when the ridges to the South became very dark, and because of the risk of lightning, my My Lightning app showed 50+ lightning strikes to the West only 15 miles away near Aspen Park. Every Denverite knows of the daily afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
Raptor Observations:
Only one migrant today, a Swainson's Hawk at 11:45 AM MDT seen to the SW initially, which flew SE initially, then circled gaining height. I was binocular scanning between North and SW every 1-2 minutes, including higher up, later in the morning. Non migrant Raptors: TV 4, RT 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
Rock Wren 1, Barn Swallow 1, Violet-green Swallow 6, Red-breasted Nuthatch heard twice, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 6, Common Raven 7. A paraglider at 11:00 AM did not seem to have much lift, 5 more at 11:45 a.m. who got only a little higher than the antennae on Lookout Mountain, and who in my opinion were foolhardy as there were lightning strikes already to the West a scant 15 miles away. You can be struck by lightning from more than 10 miles away, and even up to 25 miles away, even without hearing thunder. Yes, paragliders can be struck by lightning. A Chinese man was killed paragliding in Australia in 2006, while a German woman was sucked up by the same storm, rising a potentially lethal 9144 feet, and survived.
Predictions:
Patchy fog before 9:00 AM, increasing chance of rain and lightning after 2:00 PM, with winds from the SE>E>NE, so I will count in the morning.
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: Aug 26, 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 1 | 23 | 24 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 1 | 28 | 33 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:15:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: |
Weather:
weather.gov for Golden predicted 70% cloud cover so Liza stayed home, as last week with a similar prediction the actual cloud cover at the watch was 90% with few migrants. I went to the watch to see if this was a consistent phenomenon, and at the watch there was only about 45% cloud cover, high cirrus clouds with filtered sunlight. I wondered whether this would be enough to create adequate thermals or not. I checked earth.nullschool.net which showed that the winds aloft were light and from the south, which may explain why there were very few migrant raptors. Near the end of the watch, when the ridges to the South became very dark, and because of the risk of lightning, my My Lightning app showed 50+ lightning strikes to the West only 15 miles away near Aspen Park. Every Denverite knows of the daily afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
Raptor Observations:
Only one migrant today, a Swainson's Hawk at 11:45 AM MDT seen to the SW initially, which flew SE initially, then circled gaining height. I was binocular scanning between North and SW every 1-2 minutes, including higher up, later in the morning. Non migrant Raptors: TV 4, RT 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
Rock Wren 1, Barn Swallow 1, Violet-green Swallow 6, Red-breasted Nuthatch heard twice, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 6, Common Raven 7. A paraglider at 11:00 AM did not seem to have much lift, 5 more at 11:45 a.m. who got only a little higher than the antennae on Lookout Mountain, and who in my opinion were foolhardy as there were lightning strikes already to the West a scant 15 miles away. You can be struck by lightning from more than 10 miles away, and even up to 25 miles away, even without hearing thunder. Yes, paragliders can be struck by lightning. A Chinese man was killed paragliding in Australia in 2006, while a German woman was sucked up by the same storm, rising a potentially lethal 9144 feet, and survived.
Predictions:
Patchy fog before 9:00 AM, increasing chance of rain and lightning after 2:00 PM, with winds from the SE>E>NE, so I will count in the morning.
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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