Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (16 Mar 2018) 7 Raptors
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Mar 16, 2018, 7:03:55 PM3/16/18
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
A couple with their dog came up on the platform in the first hour--they knew I was counting hawks. There were a few hikers and bikers on the trail. A young woman from Montana moving to Colo. to attend CSU for grad school, and her friend asked questions about if Colorado's weather is like this. I said: "Welcome to Climate Change.
Weather:
WIND!!! Blasting hard straight out of the West. It was blowing about 20 mph when I got up on top of the Ridge, but in the first hour it climbed to 50 mph gusts, which it maintained most of the day until 2:00, when it settled a little but still at an est. 40 mph. Otherwise it was sunny, with temps in the 40's but of course freezing cold with wind/chill.
Raptor Observations:
Migrators were exclusively on the west side of the Ridge, fighting the crosswind. They zoomed past fast. I made sure with the Peregrine, to watch it disappear north out of sight. It was extremely difficult standing on the west side of the Ridge, kept getting blown and buffeted, so keeping binoc's on birds was hard. Local raptors: 3 Red Tailed Hawks, and the juvenile Golden Eagle swooped through at 2:00, escorted by a local Red Tailed Hawk.
Non-raptor Observations:
Most of the creatures were laying low out of sight today, but seen or heard were 2 Common Raven; 2 Townsend's Solitaire; 2 Black-billed Magpie:and 5 American Crow. A few other song birds zoomed past so fast I couldn't get them identified. I like listening to the Raven's croak and make knocking sounds.
Predictions:
Looks like it will be warmer tomorrow, and not even a fraction as much wind.
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/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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: Mar 16, 2018 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 80 | 80 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 7 | 90 | 90 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Debbie James |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
A couple with their dog came up on the platform in the first hour--they knew I was counting hawks. There were a few hikers and bikers on the trail. A young woman from Montana moving to Colo. to attend CSU for grad school, and her friend asked questions about if Colorado's weather is like this. I said: "Welcome to Climate Change.
Weather:
WIND!!! Blasting hard straight out of the West. It was blowing about 20 mph when I got up on top of the Ridge, but in the first hour it climbed to 50 mph gusts, which it maintained most of the day until 2:00, when it settled a little but still at an est. 40 mph. Otherwise it was sunny, with temps in the 40's but of course freezing cold with wind/chill.
Raptor Observations:
Migrators were exclusively on the west side of the Ridge, fighting the crosswind. They zoomed past fast. I made sure with the Peregrine, to watch it disappear north out of sight. It was extremely difficult standing on the west side of the Ridge, kept getting blown and buffeted, so keeping binoc's on birds was hard. Local raptors: 3 Red Tailed Hawks, and the juvenile Golden Eagle swooped through at 2:00, escorted by a local Red Tailed Hawk.
Non-raptor Observations:
Most of the creatures were laying low out of sight today, but seen or heard were 2 Common Raven; 2 Townsend's Solitaire; 2 Black-billed Magpie:and 5 American Crow. A few other song birds zoomed past so fast I couldn't get them identified. I like listening to the Raven's croak and make knocking sounds.
Predictions:
Looks like it will be warmer tomorrow, and not even a fraction as much wind.
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/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
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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