Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (22 Apr 2021) 98 Raptors
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Apr 22, 2021, 6:44:47 PM4/22/21
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Darrel stopped by during the first hour, Patty and Kerry stayed and helped spot the 2nd 2-1/2 hours. Skye revisited us for an hour during the lunch hour and was rewarded with the Ospreys and AK's. I only saw 2 people on the trail.
Weather:
Extremely changeable! Very bright at first with snow everywhere, chilly. Muddy trails were only slightly frozen. Day changed from graupel, overcast, brief periods of sun. Temps from 0 C up to 6.6 C, winds were lower today from calm up to B3, barometer rose slightly from 24.36" up to 24.38". Sun and storms seemed to be on a 45 minute cycle. Horizons mostly hidden by haze. Mt. Morrison's towers disappeared briefly this afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Excellent! Raptors were low to the east side of the ridge, moving up to low overhead, to soaring overhead very high during the last hour. Changeable lighting late in the day made some id harder. Osprey came by at eye level, all the visitors were impressed with the sightings today. Local RT's were hunting right away this morning. Counted a NH but then it appeared on the other side of the ridge and headed west. When following a raptor, we would notice another raptor that got by us, resulting in the high Unidentified count.
Non-raptor Observations:
Hummingbird, Townsend Solitaire, Spotted Towhee, Raven, White Throated Swift, and a Yellow Rumped Warbler right past our juniper bush. Not sure if it was an Audubon's or a Myrtle. Western Bluebird pair perched in dead tree. Didn't see any Magpies. A large migration of elk or deer came across the lower path either late yesterday or this morning. Tons of tracks.
Predictions:
Seems to be lots of raptors waiting to move. Hopefully will be another busy day. Be prepared for a very muddy lower trail.
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.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 of any skill level are always welcome.
HawkWatch at Dinosaur Ridge is generally staffed by volunteers 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
southwest end of lot to the 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.
(Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain: 259 feet)
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 22, 2021 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 30 | 101 | 104 |
| Osprey | 7 | 14 | 14 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 6 | 19 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 19 | 52 | 66 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 6 | 56 | 67 |
| Northern Goshawk | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 11 | 104 | 297 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 6 | 52 | 54 |
| Merlin | 0 | 6 | 10 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Prairie Falcon | 8 | 19 | 20 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 8 | 17 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Total: | 98 | 462 | 740 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Gary Rossmiller |
| Observers: | Janet Peters |
Visitors:
Darrel stopped by during the first hour, Patty and Kerry stayed and helped spot the 2nd 2-1/2 hours. Skye revisited us for an hour during the lunch hour and was rewarded with the Ospreys and AK's. I only saw 2 people on the trail.
Weather:
Extremely changeable! Very bright at first with snow everywhere, chilly. Muddy trails were only slightly frozen. Day changed from graupel, overcast, brief periods of sun. Temps from 0 C up to 6.6 C, winds were lower today from calm up to B3, barometer rose slightly from 24.36" up to 24.38". Sun and storms seemed to be on a 45 minute cycle. Horizons mostly hidden by haze. Mt. Morrison's towers disappeared briefly this afternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Excellent! Raptors were low to the east side of the ridge, moving up to low overhead, to soaring overhead very high during the last hour. Changeable lighting late in the day made some id harder. Osprey came by at eye level, all the visitors were impressed with the sightings today. Local RT's were hunting right away this morning. Counted a NH but then it appeared on the other side of the ridge and headed west. When following a raptor, we would notice another raptor that got by us, resulting in the high Unidentified count.
Non-raptor Observations:
Hummingbird, Townsend Solitaire, Spotted Towhee, Raven, White Throated Swift, and a Yellow Rumped Warbler right past our juniper bush. Not sure if it was an Audubon's or a Myrtle. Western Bluebird pair perched in dead tree. Didn't see any Magpies. A large migration of elk or deer came across the lower path either late yesterday or this morning. Tons of tracks.
Predictions:
Seems to be lots of raptors waiting to move. Hopefully will be another busy day. Be prepared for a very muddy lower trail.
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.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 of any skill level are always welcome.
HawkWatch at Dinosaur Ridge is generally staffed by volunteers 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
southwest end of lot to the 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.
(Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain: 259 feet)
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