Dinosaur Ridge (14 Apr 2016) 3 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Apr 14, 2016, 7:18:36 PM4/14/16
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Many visitors all spent a few hours with binoculars helping spot and learning about the HawkWatch. They were a gentleman named Ray, Rick and Rachael Krohn, and four associates of Matt Smith who were playing hooky from work. All seemed to enjoy the nice weather and good landscape views.
Weather:
A pleasant warm day with temperatures from the low 60's to low 70's with a light wind around 2 bft from the SE in the morning and occasionally from the NW in the afternoon. Mostly cloudless in the morning becoming partly cloudy.
Raptor Observations:
A slow day for migrating raptors with three counted in the first two hours. Local raptor activity also seemed relatively light with Turkey Vultures mostly around Mt. Morrison with as many 6 in the sky at one time. Local Red-tailed Hawk sightings often over the west ridges with a few close fly-by's. A male Kestrel was observed a few times. Highlight of the day was a local accipiter first sighted about two binocular fields high that went into a hard stooped power dive to ground level SE of the ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Seen or heard were Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Meadowlark, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, White-throated Swift, Western Scrub-jay.
Predictions:
Unsettled weather will possibly reinvigorate migration?
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge 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 14, 2016 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 51 | 66 |
| Osprey | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 12 | 21 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 21 | 28 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 53 | 235 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 13 | 26 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 6 | 11 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 3 | 16 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| Total: | 3 | 182 | 462 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Kathie Moss, Lee Farrell, Linda Farrell, Matt Smith |
Visitors:
Many visitors all spent a few hours with binoculars helping spot and learning about the HawkWatch. They were a gentleman named Ray, Rick and Rachael Krohn, and four associates of Matt Smith who were playing hooky from work. All seemed to enjoy the nice weather and good landscape views.
Weather:
A pleasant warm day with temperatures from the low 60's to low 70's with a light wind around 2 bft from the SE in the morning and occasionally from the NW in the afternoon. Mostly cloudless in the morning becoming partly cloudy.
Raptor Observations:
A slow day for migrating raptors with three counted in the first two hours. Local raptor activity also seemed relatively light with Turkey Vultures mostly around Mt. Morrison with as many 6 in the sky at one time. Local Red-tailed Hawk sightings often over the west ridges with a few close fly-by's. A male Kestrel was observed a few times. Highlight of the day was a local accipiter first sighted about two binocular fields high that went into a hard stooped power dive to ground level SE of the ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Seen or heard were Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Meadowlark, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, White-throated Swift, Western Scrub-jay.
Predictions:
Unsettled weather will possibly reinvigorate migration?
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge 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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