Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (11 Apr 2018) 2 Raptors
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Apr 11, 2018, 8:49:11 PM4/11/18
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
A few hikers and bikers came briefly onto the platform, mostly for the view.
Weather:
Today was sunny with mostly blue skies and non-stop strong winds from the west that started at bft 5 but soon were solidly bft 6 with the occasional blast seeming to reach bft 7. Cloud-cover decreased from 40-percent as scattered, mostly thin clouds, to 20-percent, located along the horizons. Temperatures were warm (18 C to 21 C). Visibility was good.
Raptor Observations:
A Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Cooper's Hawk, both juveniles, passed north just to the east of the Ridge, not long before noon MST. The Sharpie seemed to get blown about a bit more, taking more of a north-northeasterly route up the north end of Rooney Valley. Very little was seen moving along the western ridges today, but, as Mike mentioned recently in a HawkWatch post, it is very difficult to hold binoculars steady in high winds. So, coverage today of the western ridges was not as thorough as it should have been; scans were done often but were limited to sections visible from relatively sheltered spots on the platform. Occasionally to the west, a local Red-tailed Hawk or one of the local Turkey Vultures was spotted heading back south, low in the western valley, usually just after having zipped north (pretending to be a migrant…) In the morning, a local male American Kestrel briefly kite-hunted just to the southwest of the platform, wings pulled in tight, facing into the western wind. One of the local Peregrine Falcons was observed high over the Ridge, drifting leisurely, until it was lost against the sun. A local adult Golden Eagle also made an appearance, coming north up the Ridge, but then turning east to check out Green Mountain; it soon returned, against the wind, to head toward Mount Morrison. In the afternoon, one of the local, adult Red-tailed Hawks carried a dead snake north past the platform and then headed westward out Vernon Creek/I-70 valley.
Non-raptor Observations:
Several White-throated Swifts rode the winds up and down the valleys and ridges, at least once in a loose group of about thirty. A Rock Wren popped up briefly on the east side of the platform, pausing just long enough for a nice, good look. Also seen were Townsend's Solitaire, Common Raven, a swallow species, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's).
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 11, 2018 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 17 | 19 |
| Osprey | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 8 | 12 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 15 | 23 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 20 | 188 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 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 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: | 2 | 87 | 311 |
| Observation start time: | 09:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 4 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
A few hikers and bikers came briefly onto the platform, mostly for the view.
Weather:
Today was sunny with mostly blue skies and non-stop strong winds from the west that started at bft 5 but soon were solidly bft 6 with the occasional blast seeming to reach bft 7. Cloud-cover decreased from 40-percent as scattered, mostly thin clouds, to 20-percent, located along the horizons. Temperatures were warm (18 C to 21 C). Visibility was good.
Raptor Observations:
A Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Cooper's Hawk, both juveniles, passed north just to the east of the Ridge, not long before noon MST. The Sharpie seemed to get blown about a bit more, taking more of a north-northeasterly route up the north end of Rooney Valley. Very little was seen moving along the western ridges today, but, as Mike mentioned recently in a HawkWatch post, it is very difficult to hold binoculars steady in high winds. So, coverage today of the western ridges was not as thorough as it should have been; scans were done often but were limited to sections visible from relatively sheltered spots on the platform. Occasionally to the west, a local Red-tailed Hawk or one of the local Turkey Vultures was spotted heading back south, low in the western valley, usually just after having zipped north (pretending to be a migrant…) In the morning, a local male American Kestrel briefly kite-hunted just to the southwest of the platform, wings pulled in tight, facing into the western wind. One of the local Peregrine Falcons was observed high over the Ridge, drifting leisurely, until it was lost against the sun. A local adult Golden Eagle also made an appearance, coming north up the Ridge, but then turning east to check out Green Mountain; it soon returned, against the wind, to head toward Mount Morrison. In the afternoon, one of the local, adult Red-tailed Hawks carried a dead snake north past the platform and then headed westward out Vernon Creek/I-70 valley.
Non-raptor Observations:
Several White-throated Swifts rode the winds up and down the valleys and ridges, at least once in a loose group of about thirty. A Rock Wren popped up briefly on the east side of the platform, pausing just long enough for a nice, good look. Also seen were Townsend's Solitaire, Common Raven, a swallow species, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's).
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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