Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (09 Apr 2018) 10 Raptors
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Apr 9, 2018, 10:20:18 PM4/9/18
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Not many people were on the trail today. One biker came up for the view and to look at the Moto-cross track. A trail-runner, who apparently was doing a 6-mile circuit, took in the view; she was surprised and impressed by the rockiness of the trail further south on the Ridge.
Weather:
The watch started not long after a light rain/snow shower had passed; the cloud-ceiling was low and visibility down the Ridge and along all the western ridges was obscured; the area around Green Mountain was partially enveloped by fog. Visibility was normal by mid-morning when the cloud-ceiling lifted from the western ridges. Winds were primarily from the east, often with a southeastern component, and mildly breezy at bft 2, with the occasional gust at bft 3. Cloud-cover started at 85-percent; brightened patches roamed the valleys and ridges in the morning where breaks in the clouds allowed the sun to peak through. Over the course of the morning, cloud-cover decreased to 40-percent. Twice during the watch, a sunlit sprinkling of light snow briefly fell upon the HawkWatch platform. In general, the clouds were very, very mobile today. A few translucent, gossamer clouds appeared out of the blue. There were all sizes of cumulus-types; most were tattered-looking with edges seemingly shredded from shearing past each other while carried by opposing winds. In the afternoon, heavier gray clouds formed far south down the Ridge as well as just north of the platform. Temperatures rose from 5 C to 10 C.
Raptor Observations:
The number of migrants today was not particularly high but the variety was very welcome. Most of the migrants passed to the west of the Ridge today. The first official migrant of the morning was an Osprey that passed nearby at eyelevel over the western valley. Not long afterwards, a warm-brown, juvenile Ferruginous Hawk was spied moving north along the western ridges. The highlight of the day occurred later in the morning when an adult Northern Goshawk was spotted mid-level in the valley in front of Mount Morrison; it circled up high, moving north along WestRidge, then disappeared heading west-northwest. Raptor activity slowed for both migrants and locals for a period before noon MST, but this lull was broken by the arrival of a heavily-bibbed, adult Swainson's Hawk that was spotted southwest of the platform and, after circling up fairly high (still visible to the unaided eye), migrated north along the western valley. One interesting note: the watch opened with the near-immediate sighting of a Cooper’s Hawk (a probable juvenile) rising up just to the east of the HawkWatch platform; it headed northeast, disappearing into the fog near Green Mountain, and was noted as a possible migrant. Within the next half-hour, a group of Rock Pigeons were spotted, flying a bit raggedly back and forth (not the usual graceful and synchronous wheeling-about one expects), just north of I-70 in the western valley. A second look revealed a Cooper’s Hawk giving chase among them, likely the same one seen earlier. A couple of hours later, a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, possibly the same one, was observed to circle up very high in the western valley over I-70 then shoot northward.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Western Meadowlark was heard a few times this morning. Not to be outdone, a Canyon Wren was heard several times. A little over fifteen American Robins were observed to fly south over the western valley and descend into Matthews-Winters Park. Also seen were Townsend's Solitaire, Rock Pigeon, Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, Northern Flicker, American Crow, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, a gull species, White-throated Swift, and a lone Bushtit. About 8 Mule Deer were spotted just below the trees on WestRidge
Report submitted by Matthew Smith (matt....@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: Apr 09, 2018 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 17 | 19 |
| Osprey | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 7 | 11 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 14 | 22 |
| Northern Goshawk | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 20 | 188 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 5 | 19 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: | 10 | 85 | 309 |
| Observation start time: | 08:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Not many people were on the trail today. One biker came up for the view and to look at the Moto-cross track. A trail-runner, who apparently was doing a 6-mile circuit, took in the view; she was surprised and impressed by the rockiness of the trail further south on the Ridge.
Weather:
The watch started not long after a light rain/snow shower had passed; the cloud-ceiling was low and visibility down the Ridge and along all the western ridges was obscured; the area around Green Mountain was partially enveloped by fog. Visibility was normal by mid-morning when the cloud-ceiling lifted from the western ridges. Winds were primarily from the east, often with a southeastern component, and mildly breezy at bft 2, with the occasional gust at bft 3. Cloud-cover started at 85-percent; brightened patches roamed the valleys and ridges in the morning where breaks in the clouds allowed the sun to peak through. Over the course of the morning, cloud-cover decreased to 40-percent. Twice during the watch, a sunlit sprinkling of light snow briefly fell upon the HawkWatch platform. In general, the clouds were very, very mobile today. A few translucent, gossamer clouds appeared out of the blue. There were all sizes of cumulus-types; most were tattered-looking with edges seemingly shredded from shearing past each other while carried by opposing winds. In the afternoon, heavier gray clouds formed far south down the Ridge as well as just north of the platform. Temperatures rose from 5 C to 10 C.
Raptor Observations:
The number of migrants today was not particularly high but the variety was very welcome. Most of the migrants passed to the west of the Ridge today. The first official migrant of the morning was an Osprey that passed nearby at eyelevel over the western valley. Not long afterwards, a warm-brown, juvenile Ferruginous Hawk was spied moving north along the western ridges. The highlight of the day occurred later in the morning when an adult Northern Goshawk was spotted mid-level in the valley in front of Mount Morrison; it circled up high, moving north along WestRidge, then disappeared heading west-northwest. Raptor activity slowed for both migrants and locals for a period before noon MST, but this lull was broken by the arrival of a heavily-bibbed, adult Swainson's Hawk that was spotted southwest of the platform and, after circling up fairly high (still visible to the unaided eye), migrated north along the western valley. One interesting note: the watch opened with the near-immediate sighting of a Cooper’s Hawk (a probable juvenile) rising up just to the east of the HawkWatch platform; it headed northeast, disappearing into the fog near Green Mountain, and was noted as a possible migrant. Within the next half-hour, a group of Rock Pigeons were spotted, flying a bit raggedly back and forth (not the usual graceful and synchronous wheeling-about one expects), just north of I-70 in the western valley. A second look revealed a Cooper’s Hawk giving chase among them, likely the same one seen earlier. A couple of hours later, a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, possibly the same one, was observed to circle up very high in the western valley over I-70 then shoot northward.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Western Meadowlark was heard a few times this morning. Not to be outdone, a Canyon Wren was heard several times. A little over fifteen American Robins were observed to fly south over the western valley and descend into Matthews-Winters Park. Also seen were Townsend's Solitaire, Rock Pigeon, Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, Northern Flicker, American Crow, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, a gull species, White-throated Swift, and a lone Bushtit. About 8 Mule Deer were spotted just below the trees on WestRidge
Report submitted by Matthew Smith (matt....@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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