HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (18 Apr 2015) 40 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Apr 19, 2015, 5:35:46 PM4/19/15
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
None.
Weather:
A great day for weather drama. Mostly cloudy with pockets of low hanging moisture bearing clouds about the horizon and likely showers to the north in the morning. A brief squall with graupel mid-day. Breaking weather and a partly cloudy mix with sunshine by day's end. Most of the landscape was snow covered. Periods of slightly reduced visibility. Temperatures in the 40's with shifting light winds often from the SE and NE.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating raptors were generally low flying and between the ridge and Rooney Road, about tree height along the ridge (including a dark morph Broad-winged), and a few hugging the ridge to the west in the morning. In the afternoon migration was more typical with some high fliers spiraling into blue sky. Local raptors included an adult and immature Golden Eagle, and few Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture. A Cooper's Hawk was observed chasing down a robin sized bird below the ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Spotted Towhee, Common Raven, Townsend's Solitaire, American Robin, chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, American White Pelican, Western Scrub Jay, Western Meadowlark, White-Throated Swift, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
Predictions:
Chances for more unsettled weather may bode well for good peak season counts before and after fronts.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff....@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.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 the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of May.
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 18, 2015 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 4 | 69 | 69 |
| Osprey | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 10 | 23 | 29 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 15 | 47 | 50 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 50 | 123 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 3 | 70 | 89 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 5 | 13 | 17 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: | 40 | 298 | 421 |
| Observation start time: | 07:45:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Mitchell Blystone |
Visitors:
None.
Weather:
A great day for weather drama. Mostly cloudy with pockets of low hanging moisture bearing clouds about the horizon and likely showers to the north in the morning. A brief squall with graupel mid-day. Breaking weather and a partly cloudy mix with sunshine by day's end. Most of the landscape was snow covered. Periods of slightly reduced visibility. Temperatures in the 40's with shifting light winds often from the SE and NE.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating raptors were generally low flying and between the ridge and Rooney Road, about tree height along the ridge (including a dark morph Broad-winged), and a few hugging the ridge to the west in the morning. In the afternoon migration was more typical with some high fliers spiraling into blue sky. Local raptors included an adult and immature Golden Eagle, and few Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture. A Cooper's Hawk was observed chasing down a robin sized bird below the ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Spotted Towhee, Common Raven, Townsend's Solitaire, American Robin, chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, American White Pelican, Western Scrub Jay, Western Meadowlark, White-Throated Swift, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
Predictions:
Chances for more unsettled weather may bode well for good peak season counts before and after fronts.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff....@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.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 the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of May.
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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