HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (19 Apr 2015) 10 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Apr 19, 2015, 6:47:20 PM4/19/15
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Lee and Linda Farrell helped from 10am till after 2pm. Pam Batton from School of Mines brought a group of 13 teachers up who are taking a class on raptors during their recertification process. They were great to have on hand from around 11am till after 1pm. The mid-morning local RT's and TV's gave all of us a good show near the ridge.
Weather:
Overcast with periods of sun, calm and quite enjoyable all day. Slightly falling barometer. Slight breeze at times out of the east, southeast. Trail had turned into a river in many areas. Head up early on Monday to hopefully have a slightly firm trail
Raptor Observations:
Only a few raptors all day on all sides of the ridge. Locals came out in mid-morning sun to keep us occupied. Flat light made ID difficult at times. TV's came up from the south to entertain us a couple of times. A RT harried a Golden Eagle by the powerlines as it headed west. Just not a lot of birds of any kind all day.
Non-raptor Observations:
A handful of deer above I-70 all day. Trail was very quiet due to the mud and water. Robins, Magpies, Flicker, Gray Jay, Raven, Townsend's Solitaire, Meadowlarks, Pigeons and Doves.
Predictions:
Hopefully some warmer weather and winds will open the bird valve again.
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 19, 2015 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 2 | 71 | 71 |
| Osprey | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 24 | 30 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | 50 | 53 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 51 | 124 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 72 | 91 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 13 | 17 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: | 10 | 308 | 431 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Gary Rossmiller |
| Observers: | Lee Farrell, Linda Farrell |
Visitors:
Lee and Linda Farrell helped from 10am till after 2pm. Pam Batton from School of Mines brought a group of 13 teachers up who are taking a class on raptors during their recertification process. They were great to have on hand from around 11am till after 1pm. The mid-morning local RT's and TV's gave all of us a good show near the ridge.
Weather:
Overcast with periods of sun, calm and quite enjoyable all day. Slightly falling barometer. Slight breeze at times out of the east, southeast. Trail had turned into a river in many areas. Head up early on Monday to hopefully have a slightly firm trail
Raptor Observations:
Only a few raptors all day on all sides of the ridge. Locals came out in mid-morning sun to keep us occupied. Flat light made ID difficult at times. TV's came up from the south to entertain us a couple of times. A RT harried a Golden Eagle by the powerlines as it headed west. Just not a lot of birds of any kind all day.
Non-raptor Observations:
A handful of deer above I-70 all day. Trail was very quiet due to the mud and water. Robins, Magpies, Flicker, Gray Jay, Raven, Townsend's Solitaire, Meadowlarks, Pigeons and Doves.
Predictions:
Hopefully some warmer weather and winds will open the bird valve again.
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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