Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (23 Apr 2026) 6 Raptors
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Apr 23, 2026, 11:24:31 PM (9 hours ago) Apr 23
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
We had five visitors at the ridge today including Jessie and Therese, two AmeriCorps Environmental Educators for Denver Audubon and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Ryan Gannon is our Thursday afternoon volunteer at the ridge and we are so grateful for his help!
Weather:
Winds were high again today causing us to pause the count from 0815 MST to 1100 MST. Winds varied in direction and speed today. Temperatures were warm in the early afternoon before dropping with increased cloud cover in the late afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Migration has been halted this week by winds from the west. Our first migrating raptors came during the last few hours of the day. What we didn't get in quantity today we got in quality with our first two migrants being an eye-level Merlin and a below eye-level Peregrine Falcon. We also had an eye-level immature Northern Harrier that came directly along the ridge. Non-migrant activity was high today with up to four Red-tailed Hawks and five Turkey Vultures active in the area at one time. Both adult and immature Red-tailed Hawks were seen kiting and acting territorial in the area. Today was our first day monitoring the passerine morning flight but we seem to be a little early. A Hermit Thrush, Chipping Sparrow, and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow were a few highlights from the morning.
Non-raptor Observations:
Mallard 3, White-throated Swift 5, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 5, Eurasian Collared-Dove 2, Mourning Dove 5, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Say's Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 2, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, American Crow 1, Common Raven 2, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Violet-green Swallow 11, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, swalow sp. 1, Rock Wren 1, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 2, Hermit Thrush 1, American Robin 1, Chipping Sparrow 1, Spotted Towhee 3, Western Meadowlark 1, Red-winged Blackbird 10, Common Grackle 5, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, passerine sp. 6
Predictions:
Winds are predicted to be lower speeds tomorrow but variable in direction. We are hoping any day now that migration picks back up.
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]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]
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, and American White Pelican. 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 23, 2026 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 132 | 159 |
| Osprey | 0 | 34 | 40 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 11 | 24 |
| Northern Harrier | 1 | 21 | 33 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 102 | 123 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 155 | 207 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 31 | 31 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 184 | 432 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 20 | 20 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 6 | 15 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 462 | 601 |
| Merlin | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 10 | 16 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Total: | 6 | 1185 | 1738 |
| Observation start time: | 05:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley, Emma Riley, Soren Zappia , Soren Zappia |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
We had five visitors at the ridge today including Jessie and Therese, two AmeriCorps Environmental Educators for Denver Audubon and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Ryan Gannon is our Thursday afternoon volunteer at the ridge and we are so grateful for his help!
Weather:
Winds were high again today causing us to pause the count from 0815 MST to 1100 MST. Winds varied in direction and speed today. Temperatures were warm in the early afternoon before dropping with increased cloud cover in the late afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Migration has been halted this week by winds from the west. Our first migrating raptors came during the last few hours of the day. What we didn't get in quantity today we got in quality with our first two migrants being an eye-level Merlin and a below eye-level Peregrine Falcon. We also had an eye-level immature Northern Harrier that came directly along the ridge. Non-migrant activity was high today with up to four Red-tailed Hawks and five Turkey Vultures active in the area at one time. Both adult and immature Red-tailed Hawks were seen kiting and acting territorial in the area. Today was our first day monitoring the passerine morning flight but we seem to be a little early. A Hermit Thrush, Chipping Sparrow, and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow were a few highlights from the morning.
Non-raptor Observations:
Mallard 3, White-throated Swift 5, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 5, Eurasian Collared-Dove 2, Mourning Dove 5, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Say's Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 2, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, American Crow 1, Common Raven 2, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Violet-green Swallow 11, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, swalow sp. 1, Rock Wren 1, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 2, Hermit Thrush 1, American Robin 1, Chipping Sparrow 1, Spotted Towhee 3, Western Meadowlark 1, Red-winged Blackbird 10, Common Grackle 5, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, passerine sp. 6
Predictions:
Winds are predicted to be lower speeds tomorrow but variable in direction. We are hoping any day now that migration picks back up.
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]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]
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, and American White Pelican. 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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