Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (26 Sep 2025) 9 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Sep 26, 2025, 6:59:55 PMSep 26
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Zak Hepler texted me yesterday wanting to come to the watch, presumably to find BW. The raptors were so very high today, I texted him not to come today, but rather to wait until the spring watch when migrant raptors are more frequent and lower.
Weather:
Winds were light from the NW, temperature 19 to 23° C, low humidity 20%, cloud cover 70% to 65% high cirrus, clear visibility to 24 km.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See:https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant was an RT to the West at 10:37 a.m. MDT. At 11:24 a.m. Liza remarked on a pretty cloud overhead and to the SW, and she found two migrants that I didn't see. Thereafter I looked in that channel, helped by high cirrus clouds, and was able to find 5 more migrants which were completely at the limit of binocular ID, though after 12:15 pm the only migrant I was able to find was a high overhead GE at 12:38 p.m., presumably because of its large size and dark coloration. At 11:28 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. I had 2 dark morph juvenile RT - both with translucent square window panels, the first having a light red tail indicating it was changing to adult plumage. Non-migrant Raptors: CH 1, RT 1 TV 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-capped and Mountain Chickadee, Steller's Jay 1, Say's Phoebe 1, Barn Swallow 2, Northern Flicker 1.
Predictions:
The winds aloft are predicted to come from the NW at 8 km/h, similar to today.
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: Sep 26, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 11 | 15 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 13 | 18 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 20 | 22 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 16 | 29 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 18 | 68 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 29 | 35 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 9 | 147 | 235 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 12:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Visitors:
Zak Hepler texted me yesterday wanting to come to the watch, presumably to find BW. The raptors were so very high today, I texted him not to come today, but rather to wait until the spring watch when migrant raptors are more frequent and lower.
Weather:
Winds were light from the NW, temperature 19 to 23° C, low humidity 20%, cloud cover 70% to 65% high cirrus, clear visibility to 24 km.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See:https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant was an RT to the West at 10:37 a.m. MDT. At 11:24 a.m. Liza remarked on a pretty cloud overhead and to the SW, and she found two migrants that I didn't see. Thereafter I looked in that channel, helped by high cirrus clouds, and was able to find 5 more migrants which were completely at the limit of binocular ID, though after 12:15 pm the only migrant I was able to find was a high overhead GE at 12:38 p.m., presumably because of its large size and dark coloration. At 11:28 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. I had 2 dark morph juvenile RT - both with translucent square window panels, the first having a light red tail indicating it was changing to adult plumage. Non-migrant Raptors: CH 1, RT 1 TV 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-capped and Mountain Chickadee, Steller's Jay 1, Say's Phoebe 1, Barn Swallow 2, Northern Flicker 1.
Predictions:
The winds aloft are predicted to come from the NW at 8 km/h, similar to today.
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)
rep...@hawkcount.org
Sep 26, 2025, 6:59:58 PMSep 26
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