Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (02 Apr 2017) 6 Raptors
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Apr 2, 2017, 9:01:44 PM4/2/17
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
The weather helped make it a great day for watching, but mainly it was having Cindy Johnson and Gary Rossmiller there most of the time that made the day. Only a couple of curiosity seekers on the hill today in spite of the good weather.
Weather:
Today was a great day for watching; given the great weather, surprisingly not that great for seeing; or hearing (the motocross track was especially loud this morning with some kind of event starting in the early hours). Green mountain and Mt Morrison started out with a dust of remaining snow and the trail up was muddy (as advertized). All gone by end of watch. A cold breeze from the southeast picked up around 9:00 am MST and persisted generally from the east most of the day. Cotton ball cumulus clouds then rose by 10:00 MST on the east and south horizon and stayed there most of the day. Directly overhead was mostly intensely dark blue and crystal clear. Visibility to the south was awesome. From 1:00-2:00 MST the wind died down and late in that hour we spotted a migrating Sharp-shinned Hawk and American Kestrel. (WUnderground station all day was Solterra.)
Raptor Observations:
Local American Kestrel (male) hovered over Rooney Road and mid way up the east side of the ridge for about 5 minutes early in the watch. Great fun to watch. Local dark Red-tailed Hawk escorted light RTHA migrator. Pattern today seemed to be riding thermals over Two Humps to Apex, then turn back or southwest. Later in the watch, a Sharp-shinned Hawk circled high down ridge and spiraled consistently (accompanied by two local Red-taileds) north but then vanished beyond 10x binoc range just overhead in clear blue sky. Counted, but made us wonder if other migrators escaped without notice at high altitude beyond visual range. But with clear skies and three experienced watchers, including a scope, unlikely. An immature Golden Eagle circled Red Rocks and moved north, caught a thermal by Cabrini, then turned back south. We speculated it was escorting the migrating Bald Eagle (which would not be the first time i've seen a senior being escorted by a youngin in the news). Non-migrating raptors: GOEA (1), AMKE (2), RTHA (6).
Non-raptor Observations:
A couple of Monarch Butterflies criss-crossed the platform. NON-RAPTORS SEEN OR HEARD: Northern Flicker (3), Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (3), Black-billed Magpie (4), Black-capped Chickadee (1), Western Bluebird (1), Townsend's Solitaire (3), Spotted Towhee (5) heard all day, Western Meadowlark (2). All reported on eBird.
Predictions:
Expect good weather and a mostly dry trail up from the Stego lot. Tell me a better way to spend a day than being a citizen scientist – in Colorado!
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/
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 02, 2017 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 3 | 183 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 5 | 17 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Total: | 6 | 15 | 271 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Mike Fernandez |
| Observers: | Cyndy Johnson, Gary Rossmiller |
Visitors:
The weather helped make it a great day for watching, but mainly it was having Cindy Johnson and Gary Rossmiller there most of the time that made the day. Only a couple of curiosity seekers on the hill today in spite of the good weather.
Weather:
Today was a great day for watching; given the great weather, surprisingly not that great for seeing; or hearing (the motocross track was especially loud this morning with some kind of event starting in the early hours). Green mountain and Mt Morrison started out with a dust of remaining snow and the trail up was muddy (as advertized). All gone by end of watch. A cold breeze from the southeast picked up around 9:00 am MST and persisted generally from the east most of the day. Cotton ball cumulus clouds then rose by 10:00 MST on the east and south horizon and stayed there most of the day. Directly overhead was mostly intensely dark blue and crystal clear. Visibility to the south was awesome. From 1:00-2:00 MST the wind died down and late in that hour we spotted a migrating Sharp-shinned Hawk and American Kestrel. (WUnderground station all day was Solterra.)
Raptor Observations:
Local American Kestrel (male) hovered over Rooney Road and mid way up the east side of the ridge for about 5 minutes early in the watch. Great fun to watch. Local dark Red-tailed Hawk escorted light RTHA migrator. Pattern today seemed to be riding thermals over Two Humps to Apex, then turn back or southwest. Later in the watch, a Sharp-shinned Hawk circled high down ridge and spiraled consistently (accompanied by two local Red-taileds) north but then vanished beyond 10x binoc range just overhead in clear blue sky. Counted, but made us wonder if other migrators escaped without notice at high altitude beyond visual range. But with clear skies and three experienced watchers, including a scope, unlikely. An immature Golden Eagle circled Red Rocks and moved north, caught a thermal by Cabrini, then turned back south. We speculated it was escorting the migrating Bald Eagle (which would not be the first time i've seen a senior being escorted by a youngin in the news). Non-migrating raptors: GOEA (1), AMKE (2), RTHA (6).
Non-raptor Observations:
A couple of Monarch Butterflies criss-crossed the platform. NON-RAPTORS SEEN OR HEARD: Northern Flicker (3), Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (3), Black-billed Magpie (4), Black-capped Chickadee (1), Western Bluebird (1), Townsend's Solitaire (3), Spotted Towhee (5) heard all day, Western Meadowlark (2). All reported on eBird.
Predictions:
Expect good weather and a mostly dry trail up from the Stego lot. Tell me a better way to spend a day than being a citizen scientist – in Colorado!
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/
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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