Dinosaur Ridge (07 Mar 2016) 3 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Mar 7, 2016, 8:34:13 PM3/7/16
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Some hikers and bikers passed by, but few ventured onto the platform. The exception was a group of five women, who called themselves, perhaps on the spur of the moment, the “Wild Wilderness Women.” They asked what had been seen so far and we briefly discussed nesting Bald Eagles, as well as the resident Bald Eagles at Standley Lake.
Weather:
The morning began with partly cloudy, blue skies (20% cloud-cover) and fairly calm winds (bft 1-2) from the east. Temperatures were just above 10 C (50 F), until the inclement weather arrived. In the first hour, the winds increased to bft 3 and shifted slightly to come from the northeast, while a bank of ominous gray clouds massed in the west. During the 10:00 am hour, the wind shifted to the west and blew steadily, eventually reaching bft levels 5 and 6 by 11:00am. Cloud cover increased to 80%, blotting out the sun and covering the dome of the sky, although it was clear (and apparently sunny) far, far to the south. Blown dust and dirt began to cause a light haze in Rooney Valley. Patches of precipitation were visible to the southeast in Rooney Valley. Along I-70, further west, it appeared to be snowing. When lightning struck in front of Mount Morrison just before 11:00am, the day’s HawkWatch was suspended.
Raptor Observations:
Three adult Red-tailed Hawks were counted as migrants; a pair and then a solitary Red-tail passed north within a 15 minute span shortly after 10 am. A probable local adult Red-tail had come north, below eye-level, along the east side of the Ridge about a half hour beforehand; it was not seen to progress north past I-70 or return south. Apparently perched out of sight, it reappeared, rising up to meet the pair of steady northward-bound Red-tail migrants as they passed. The third migrant passed shortly afterwards over the valley to the west of the Ridge. All were easily visible at a height-of-flight of 2. A pair of local red-tails was seen south in Rooney Valley early in the morning, and later in the morning, possibly the same pair was seen briefly riding the high winds to the west of the Ridge before heading back south. Although Red-tailed Hawks were the only raptors seen on the hill, an adult (probably male) Swainson’s Hawk was seen low and to the north of the Stegosaurus Parking lot (during a pause to see if the weather would change for the better); it moved eastward out of sight.
Non-raptor Observations:
Common Ravens were seen in varying numbers at the south end of Green Mountain, over Mount Morrison and south on the Ridge. At one point when the winds were very strong, five Ravens flew north in a tight, careful group over the HawkWatch site, returning very shortly again, heading South, with two more Ravens, that they seemed to have gone to fetch. Also seen or heard were Townsend’s Solitaire, Northern Flicker, Black-billed Magpie, and Western Scrub-Jay.
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: Mar 07, 2016 | |||
| 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 | 4 | 4 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 30 | 30 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total: | 3 | 45 | 45 |
| Observation start time: | 08:45:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 2.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Some hikers and bikers passed by, but few ventured onto the platform. The exception was a group of five women, who called themselves, perhaps on the spur of the moment, the “Wild Wilderness Women.” They asked what had been seen so far and we briefly discussed nesting Bald Eagles, as well as the resident Bald Eagles at Standley Lake.
Weather:
The morning began with partly cloudy, blue skies (20% cloud-cover) and fairly calm winds (bft 1-2) from the east. Temperatures were just above 10 C (50 F), until the inclement weather arrived. In the first hour, the winds increased to bft 3 and shifted slightly to come from the northeast, while a bank of ominous gray clouds massed in the west. During the 10:00 am hour, the wind shifted to the west and blew steadily, eventually reaching bft levels 5 and 6 by 11:00am. Cloud cover increased to 80%, blotting out the sun and covering the dome of the sky, although it was clear (and apparently sunny) far, far to the south. Blown dust and dirt began to cause a light haze in Rooney Valley. Patches of precipitation were visible to the southeast in Rooney Valley. Along I-70, further west, it appeared to be snowing. When lightning struck in front of Mount Morrison just before 11:00am, the day’s HawkWatch was suspended.
Raptor Observations:
Three adult Red-tailed Hawks were counted as migrants; a pair and then a solitary Red-tail passed north within a 15 minute span shortly after 10 am. A probable local adult Red-tail had come north, below eye-level, along the east side of the Ridge about a half hour beforehand; it was not seen to progress north past I-70 or return south. Apparently perched out of sight, it reappeared, rising up to meet the pair of steady northward-bound Red-tail migrants as they passed. The third migrant passed shortly afterwards over the valley to the west of the Ridge. All were easily visible at a height-of-flight of 2. A pair of local red-tails was seen south in Rooney Valley early in the morning, and later in the morning, possibly the same pair was seen briefly riding the high winds to the west of the Ridge before heading back south. Although Red-tailed Hawks were the only raptors seen on the hill, an adult (probably male) Swainson’s Hawk was seen low and to the north of the Stegosaurus Parking lot (during a pause to see if the weather would change for the better); it moved eastward out of sight.
Non-raptor Observations:
Common Ravens were seen in varying numbers at the south end of Green Mountain, over Mount Morrison and south on the Ridge. At one point when the winds were very strong, five Ravens flew north in a tight, careful group over the HawkWatch site, returning very shortly again, heading South, with two more Ravens, that they seemed to have gone to fetch. Also seen or heard were Townsend’s Solitaire, Northern Flicker, Black-billed Magpie, and Western Scrub-Jay.
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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