Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (19 Mar 2018) 3 Raptors
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Mar 19, 2018, 8:34:05 PM3/19/18
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Perhaps because of the snowy (then slushy, muddy) trail, there were very few hikers and no bikers. No visitors came to the platform.
Weather:
Due to the snow covering the valleys and ridges, the partly-cloudy day was very bright, especially in the morning, when the sun was not blocked by clouds. Temperatures rose from 2 C to 7 C by the afternoon, although it seemed chillier than in the morning since the clouds often covered the sun. Winds were mostly from the east and were mild (bft 1-2) to calm. Cloud-cover increased from 30% (mostly at the horizons) to 60-70% scattered, thick clouds. For a good part of the watch, the clouds were thicker and darker to the west (out I-70) and northward in the western valley (toward Golden). Visibility was generally good.
Raptor Observations:
All three migrants were adult Red-tailed Hawks that passed within about an hour after noon MST. The most dramatic of the three was the last one; spotted in front of Mount Morrison, it slowly spiraled up and up just to the limit of the unaided eye over the western valley, then sped north in a steady glide. Nearly all raptor activity occurred in the afternoon. In the morning, a local female American Kestrel was spotted to the south in Rooney Valley. After noon, a local male American Kestrel came from the same general area, but then crossed over to the western valley to sit on a power line to perch-hunt. A local pair of Red-tailed Hawks was seen in the afternoon a few times in Rooney Valley as well as circling to the south on the Ridge. Another pair of local Red-tails was observed soaring together over the north end of WestRidge, where it slopes down to I-70, before they headed south. A couple of large, dark, but distant, raptors were observed a few times south of Mount Morrison; it is believed that they were local Golden Eagles, one of which was spotted later near SubPeak and identified as such.
Non-raptor Observations:
In the morning, a bit of a Western Meadowlark’s tune was heard over the din of C-470. Also in the morning, a group of about 25 American Robins descended on the Ridge from the northwest. Some returned to the west, but many stayed and could be heard often in the pines not far north of the platform. At the end of the watch, it seemed most of these same robins came to eat berries from the junipers near the platform. Also seen or heard were Townsend’s Solitaire, Western Bluebird, Common Raven, Pink-sided Dark-eyed Junco, Gray-headed Dark-eyed Junco, a male Red-shafted Northern Flicker, and Mountain Bluebird.
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 19, 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 92 | 92 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 3 | 110 | 110 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Perhaps because of the snowy (then slushy, muddy) trail, there were very few hikers and no bikers. No visitors came to the platform.
Weather:
Due to the snow covering the valleys and ridges, the partly-cloudy day was very bright, especially in the morning, when the sun was not blocked by clouds. Temperatures rose from 2 C to 7 C by the afternoon, although it seemed chillier than in the morning since the clouds often covered the sun. Winds were mostly from the east and were mild (bft 1-2) to calm. Cloud-cover increased from 30% (mostly at the horizons) to 60-70% scattered, thick clouds. For a good part of the watch, the clouds were thicker and darker to the west (out I-70) and northward in the western valley (toward Golden). Visibility was generally good.
Raptor Observations:
All three migrants were adult Red-tailed Hawks that passed within about an hour after noon MST. The most dramatic of the three was the last one; spotted in front of Mount Morrison, it slowly spiraled up and up just to the limit of the unaided eye over the western valley, then sped north in a steady glide. Nearly all raptor activity occurred in the afternoon. In the morning, a local female American Kestrel was spotted to the south in Rooney Valley. After noon, a local male American Kestrel came from the same general area, but then crossed over to the western valley to sit on a power line to perch-hunt. A local pair of Red-tailed Hawks was seen in the afternoon a few times in Rooney Valley as well as circling to the south on the Ridge. Another pair of local Red-tails was observed soaring together over the north end of WestRidge, where it slopes down to I-70, before they headed south. A couple of large, dark, but distant, raptors were observed a few times south of Mount Morrison; it is believed that they were local Golden Eagles, one of which was spotted later near SubPeak and identified as such.
Non-raptor Observations:
In the morning, a bit of a Western Meadowlark’s tune was heard over the din of C-470. Also in the morning, a group of about 25 American Robins descended on the Ridge from the northwest. Some returned to the west, but many stayed and could be heard often in the pines not far north of the platform. At the end of the watch, it seemed most of these same robins came to eat berries from the junipers near the platform. Also seen or heard were Townsend’s Solitaire, Western Bluebird, Common Raven, Pink-sided Dark-eyed Junco, Gray-headed Dark-eyed Junco, a male Red-shafted Northern Flicker, and Mountain Bluebird.
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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