Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (08 Mar 2018) 6 Raptors

[rep...@hawkcount.org]

Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 08, 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	0	0
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	6	23	23
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	0
Golden Eagle	0	2	2
American Kestrel	0	0	0
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	0
Prairie Falcon	0	0	0
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	0	0	0
Unknown Buteo	0	0	0
Unknown Falcon	0	0	0
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	0	0
Total:	6	26	26

Observation start time:	08:45:00
Observation end time:	14:30:00
Total observation time:	5.75 hours
Official Counter	Roger Rouch
Observers:	Heidi Hayes, Joel Chapa

Visitors:
A few hikers and bikers were about, but none stopped for discussion.

Weather:
A good sunscreen day with warm temperatures topping out in the mid-50's and few clouds. Light winds mostly from the SE but variable in direction until later in the day when the wind became moderate at three or four Bft out of the NW.

Raptor Observations:
No raptors until mid-morning when three Red-tailed Hawks went north on a determined flight path. Local Red-tail activity was infrequent much of the day. During the last hour of the observation local Red-tailed activity became common and three very probable migrants were counted struggling north into the NW wind well past I-70. Interestingly this seemed coincidental to an abrupt shift in wind speed and direction. Also, a local Cooper's Hawk. (Extra spotting eyes were especially helpful with the featureless blue sky).

Non-raptor Observations:
Also see or heard, Black-capped Chickadee, Townsend's Solitaire, Common Raven, Dark-eyed Junco, and Black-billed Magpie. In the early morning a group of about 25 American Robin landed in the dead pine just SE of the platform and then dispersed in the junipers.

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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]

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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.