HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (08 Apr 2015) 40 Raptors

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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 08, 2015
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	4	37	37
Osprey	0	1	1
Bald Eagle	0	0	1
Northern Harrier	0	1	2
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0	4	10
Cooper's Hawk	2	10	13
Northern Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	0	0	0
Red-tailed Hawk	3	28	101
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	1
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	2
Golden Eagle	0	0	3
American Kestrel	29	38	57
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	1	4
Prairie Falcon	0	0	2
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	2	7	11
Unknown Buteo	0	4	7
Unknown Falcon	0	0	1
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	0	1
Total:	40	131	254

Observation start time:	07:45:00
Observation end time:	14:00:00
Total observation time:	6.25 hours
Official Counter	Roger Rouch
Observers:

Visitors:
Reporter Kieran Nicholson and photographer Joe Amon from the Denver Post visited and took notes and photographs for a potential newspaper article. Also an observer from the 1990's, Greg Thomas. He and his wife helped with spotting and for a couple of hours.

Weather:
Mostly or partly cloudy all day with a horizon haze that limited distant spotting. SE winds were mild in the morning at about 1 Bft., but shifted to the NE at about 2 to 3 Bft. and in the afternoon. Temperatures warmed from the low 40's to the low 50's

Raptor Observations:
Raptor migration was highlighted by an afternoon push of 29 low flying American Kestrels. Other migrating raptors were Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vultures, and accipiters (Cooper's and some unidentified). Migration flight was very generally lower altitude and near the ridge line. Local activity included a few Turkey Vultures, Red-tails, Cooper's Hawks and what was most likely the Red Rocks Peregrine.

Non-raptor Observations:
Also seen or heard were Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Townsend's Solitaire, Black-Billed Magpie, Common Raven, American Crow, Western Meadow Lark, Western Scrub Jay, Northern Flicker, and a pair of high flying Great Blue Heron.

Predictions:
Unsettled weather could bode for another good day.

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Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff....@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.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 the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of 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 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.