Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (03 Sep 2025) 1 Raptors
24 views
Skip to first unread message
rep...@hawkcount.org
Sep 3, 2025, 9:53:01 PM (3 days ago) Sep 3
to cob...@googlegroups.com
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Two young Chinese women asked me to take their photograph facing east and west.
Weather:
The prediction was for light winds from the NW>NNW>NE with gusts to 18 mph, with 10% cloud cover gradually increasing to 34%. At the watch the winds were at Level 4 on the Beaufort Wind Scale increasing to Level 5, and the cloud cover was 20%, and fortuitously cumulus clouds scattered at different heights and all directions perfect for finding raptors. Humidity was 25% and dropping, steady barometric pressure, visibility to 24 km. Again, earth.nullschool.net showed strong winds aloft up to 1 mile high (700 hPa) streaming down from Alaska at 40 km/hr (25mph). see https://tinyurl.com/3m94xws8 where the small green circle is roughly where Dinosaur Ridge is located.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall hawk count 2025. See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The wind was so strong that I thought that only large raptors could fly through them, and as if to contradict me at 9:33 AM a CH flew past and was the only migrant for the day. Non migrant raptors were also in abeyance with only 1 RT and 1 TV seen, however a juvenile GE with white at the base of its tail but none on its wings was joined by 2 adult GE which flew north. In addition to scanning the western ridge, I scanned at one, two and three binocular widths above against the clouds and saw no other migrants, even looking against clouds to the South for any migrants which may have slipped past, to no avail. While it's possible that the strong winds were inhibitory to migration, it's also possible because of the hot sun shining on the ground between the clouds, and the excellent soaring forecast with lift of 6.3 m/sec and thermals 12,814 feet above ground level, it is possible that migrants may have flown too high to be seen even with binoculars!
Non-raptor Observations:
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 2, one of which was perched on a tree and was being buzzed by a hummingbird; Common Raven 2.
Predictions:
A few degrees warmer than today with winds from the WNW>NW>N>NE. https://tinyurl.com/naz3dbtb for predicted winds aloft.
Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinor...@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. American Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by
Hawk Counter(s) and volunteers from March through early 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 hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch 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, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)
Golden, Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 03, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 53 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 1 | 13 | 101 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 12:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Two young Chinese women asked me to take their photograph facing east and west.
Weather:
The prediction was for light winds from the NW>NNW>NE with gusts to 18 mph, with 10% cloud cover gradually increasing to 34%. At the watch the winds were at Level 4 on the Beaufort Wind Scale increasing to Level 5, and the cloud cover was 20%, and fortuitously cumulus clouds scattered at different heights and all directions perfect for finding raptors. Humidity was 25% and dropping, steady barometric pressure, visibility to 24 km. Again, earth.nullschool.net showed strong winds aloft up to 1 mile high (700 hPa) streaming down from Alaska at 40 km/hr (25mph). see https://tinyurl.com/3m94xws8 where the small green circle is roughly where Dinosaur Ridge is located.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall hawk count 2025. See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The wind was so strong that I thought that only large raptors could fly through them, and as if to contradict me at 9:33 AM a CH flew past and was the only migrant for the day. Non migrant raptors were also in abeyance with only 1 RT and 1 TV seen, however a juvenile GE with white at the base of its tail but none on its wings was joined by 2 adult GE which flew north. In addition to scanning the western ridge, I scanned at one, two and three binocular widths above against the clouds and saw no other migrants, even looking against clouds to the South for any migrants which may have slipped past, to no avail. While it's possible that the strong winds were inhibitory to migration, it's also possible because of the hot sun shining on the ground between the clouds, and the excellent soaring forecast with lift of 6.3 m/sec and thermals 12,814 feet above ground level, it is possible that migrants may have flown too high to be seen even with binoculars!
Non-raptor Observations:
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 2, one of which was perched on a tree and was being buzzed by a hummingbird; Common Raven 2.
Predictions:
A few degrees warmer than today with winds from the WNW>NW>N>NE. https://tinyurl.com/naz3dbtb for predicted winds aloft.
Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinor...@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. American Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by
Hawk Counter(s) and volunteers from March through early 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 hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch 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, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages