Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (10 Apr 2017) 19 Raptors
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Apr 11, 2017, 12:03:53 AM4/11/17
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Surprisingly few people were on the nice, dry trail today. A few came up for the view. One couple with their dog came up early in the morning to chat. Returning, after their hike, they mentioned having seen what was likely a Turkey Vulture south on the Ridge, as well as having spotted some newly-blooming Golden Banner and Larkspur wildflowers.
Weather:
The day was sunny with a slightly hazy, nearly featureless blue sky that eventually produced a few cottony clouds to the west in the afternoon. It would have been almost warm (7 C to 12 C) except for the near-constant breezes (bft 2-3) from the southeast. Visibility was acceptable but a bit hazy in the valleys at distance, even in the morning. The few contrails that did form dissipated rapidly.
Raptor Observations:
During two 15-minute-long bursts of migrant activity in the first two hours of the watch, all but one of the migrants passed along the western valley or western ridges. The flow of migrants became more evenly spaced time-wise and eventually slowed during the next hours of the watch; most of these later migrants passed over Dinosaur Ridge. It is possible with the featureless blue sky that some high-flying migrants were missed in the afternoon. Observing a couple of migrating Swainson’s Hawks is always pleasing, but the highlight of the day was a good view of an adult Broad-winged Hawk, spotted kettling up with a Cooper's Hawk and some Red-tailed Hawks over the western valley. The highlight of the local raptor activity was catching the finale of a tussle between a local adult Red-tailed Hawk and an immature (possibly sub-adult III) Bald Eagle that took place south of HawkWatch overtop the Ridge; the Bald Eagle flipped upside down to defend itself against the Red-tailed Hawk's attack from above. They then parted with the hawk going east and the eagle heading south.
Non-raptor Observations:
Early in the watch, a Broad-tailed Hummingbird zinged over the platform. Several groups of 10 to 15 White-throated Swifts were seen flying (mostly northward) along the Ridge and valleys as well as over WestRidge and at Cabrini. A lone Cliff Swallow flew about for a while over the western valley, eventually heading southwards. Also seen or heard were Western Meadowlark, Townsend's Solitaire, Canyon Wren, Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, and Violet-green Swallow.
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may
be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged
Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see
resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to
migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and
Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern
Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes
Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White
Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome.
The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.
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 small signs from the south
side of lot to hawkwatch 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, head through the gate, and walk to
the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge.
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 10, 2017 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 4 | 17 | 17 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | 10 | 20 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 18 | 23 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 28 | 208 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 10 | 22 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Total: | 19 | 99 | 355 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Surprisingly few people were on the nice, dry trail today. A few came up for the view. One couple with their dog came up early in the morning to chat. Returning, after their hike, they mentioned having seen what was likely a Turkey Vulture south on the Ridge, as well as having spotted some newly-blooming Golden Banner and Larkspur wildflowers.
Weather:
The day was sunny with a slightly hazy, nearly featureless blue sky that eventually produced a few cottony clouds to the west in the afternoon. It would have been almost warm (7 C to 12 C) except for the near-constant breezes (bft 2-3) from the southeast. Visibility was acceptable but a bit hazy in the valleys at distance, even in the morning. The few contrails that did form dissipated rapidly.
Raptor Observations:
During two 15-minute-long bursts of migrant activity in the first two hours of the watch, all but one of the migrants passed along the western valley or western ridges. The flow of migrants became more evenly spaced time-wise and eventually slowed during the next hours of the watch; most of these later migrants passed over Dinosaur Ridge. It is possible with the featureless blue sky that some high-flying migrants were missed in the afternoon. Observing a couple of migrating Swainson’s Hawks is always pleasing, but the highlight of the day was a good view of an adult Broad-winged Hawk, spotted kettling up with a Cooper's Hawk and some Red-tailed Hawks over the western valley. The highlight of the local raptor activity was catching the finale of a tussle between a local adult Red-tailed Hawk and an immature (possibly sub-adult III) Bald Eagle that took place south of HawkWatch overtop the Ridge; the Bald Eagle flipped upside down to defend itself against the Red-tailed Hawk's attack from above. They then parted with the hawk going east and the eagle heading south.
Non-raptor Observations:
Early in the watch, a Broad-tailed Hummingbird zinged over the platform. Several groups of 10 to 15 White-throated Swifts were seen flying (mostly northward) along the Ridge and valleys as well as over WestRidge and at Cabrini. A lone Cliff Swallow flew about for a while over the western valley, eventually heading southwards. Also seen or heard were Western Meadowlark, Townsend's Solitaire, Canyon Wren, Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, and Violet-green Swallow.
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may
be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged
Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see
resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to
migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and
Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern
Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes
Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White
Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome.
The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.
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 small signs from the south
side of lot to hawkwatch 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, head through the gate, and walk to
the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge.
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