HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (15 Apr 2015) 25 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Apr 15, 2015, 11:50:53 PM4/15/15
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Jim Low and Colleen Dorczuk visited the site and lent their keen eyes for most of the day. A couple of nice ladies who knew about the HawkWatch came up and stayed for a few minutes.
Weather:
There was heavy cloud cover in the morning building to the northwest and a strong, steady northeast wind. There was dust and haze to the southeast of the site. The weather cleared and the wind died for a short bit mid-day, but the clouds were mostly dense with some clear patches by the end of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Had a nice little movement of American Kestrels and 3 Merlins. They were mostly flying below us hugging the east side of the ridge to make use of the orographic lift. We had some great looks at these birds from above, which is always a treat! We saw a resident Golden Eagle fly east from Mt. Morrison and one of the pair of resident Peregrine Falcons showed up for a little bit. We saw several local Red-tailed Hawks both near and very far (scope ID'ed). We saw eagles and buteos using thermal updrafts to the south, but the smaller raptors seemed to be flying low.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift American White Pelican Rock Pigeon Golden-crowned Kinglet Violet-green Swallow Barn Swallow Broad-tailed Hummingbird Spotted Towhee Black-billed Magpie Western Scrub-Jay Western Meadowlark American Robin Mountain Chickadee Common Raven Painted Lady (Butterfly)
Predictions:
Might be a little migrant push in the morning, but the rest of tomorrow and Friday look stormy.
Report submitted by Jeff Birek (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 15, 2015 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 3 | 65 | 65 |
| Osprey | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 13 | 19 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 5 | 32 | 35 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 48 | 121 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 9 | 67 | 86 |
| Merlin | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 8 | 12 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: | 25 | 258 | 381 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:45:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele, Jeff Birek |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Chris Gray, Colleen Dorczuk, Jeff Birek, Roger Rouch, T.C. Walker |
Visitors:
Jim Low and Colleen Dorczuk visited the site and lent their keen eyes for most of the day. A couple of nice ladies who knew about the HawkWatch came up and stayed for a few minutes.
Weather:
There was heavy cloud cover in the morning building to the northwest and a strong, steady northeast wind. There was dust and haze to the southeast of the site. The weather cleared and the wind died for a short bit mid-day, but the clouds were mostly dense with some clear patches by the end of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Had a nice little movement of American Kestrels and 3 Merlins. They were mostly flying below us hugging the east side of the ridge to make use of the orographic lift. We had some great looks at these birds from above, which is always a treat! We saw a resident Golden Eagle fly east from Mt. Morrison and one of the pair of resident Peregrine Falcons showed up for a little bit. We saw several local Red-tailed Hawks both near and very far (scope ID'ed). We saw eagles and buteos using thermal updrafts to the south, but the smaller raptors seemed to be flying low.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift American White Pelican Rock Pigeon Golden-crowned Kinglet Violet-green Swallow Barn Swallow Broad-tailed Hummingbird Spotted Towhee Black-billed Magpie Western Scrub-Jay Western Meadowlark American Robin Mountain Chickadee Common Raven Painted Lady (Butterfly)
Predictions:
Might be a little migrant push in the morning, but the rest of tomorrow and Friday look stormy.
Report submitted by Jeff Birek (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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