Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (21 Sep 2025) 5 Raptors
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Sep 21, 2025, 7:10:04 PM (5 days ago) Sep 21
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Two Danes at a conference, walked over from their hotel, hiking the ridge, they stopped and asked us a number of questions about hawk migration. I showed them two distant TV and an RT through my scope.
Weather:
The surface weather forecast predicted winds from the NNW>NNE with gusts to 15 mph, with 33% cloud cover, scattered chance of thunderstorms by 12:00 PM. Earth.nullschool.net predicted NW winds aloft at 18 km/hr. The soaring forecast was excellent with the maximum rate of lift of 6.1 m/sec, and maximum height of thermals at 11,089 feet above ground level. We knew this could be a difficult day to find migrants. At the watch the cloud cover as usual was higher at 80% compared to that predicted, the winds were from the WNW, temperature 21>16 C, humidity 29%, clear visibility to 24 km. There was some variable drizzle in the 10:00 o'clock MDT hour.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See: https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant at 10:09 was an RT over Mount Morrison to the SW. By this hour the migrants were already 3 binocular fields above the ridge to the West. Thereafter we did not see any raptors for 1.5 hours except for a distant UR far to the east, so we felt that the migration was happening, but too high to be detected even with binoculars - we were scanning diligently and systematically between 2-4 binocular fields above the ridge, so we thought it was pointless to stay. Non migrant raptors: adult BE 1, RT 1.
Non-raptor Observations:
Blue Jay 1, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 2.
Predictions:
Likely thunderstorms by 12:00 PM and a 64% chance of rain by then. Tuesday has likely rain risk all morning to 73%, while Wednesday has westish winds changing to east with no chance of rain, so far.
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 21, 2025 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 11 | 15 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 11 | 16 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 18 | 20 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 13 | 26 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 18 | 68 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 26 | 32 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 5 | 118 | 206 |
| Observation start time: | 08:45:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 2.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Visitors:
Two Danes at a conference, walked over from their hotel, hiking the ridge, they stopped and asked us a number of questions about hawk migration. I showed them two distant TV and an RT through my scope.
Weather:
The surface weather forecast predicted winds from the NNW>NNE with gusts to 15 mph, with 33% cloud cover, scattered chance of thunderstorms by 12:00 PM. Earth.nullschool.net predicted NW winds aloft at 18 km/hr. The soaring forecast was excellent with the maximum rate of lift of 6.1 m/sec, and maximum height of thermals at 11,089 feet above ground level. We knew this could be a difficult day to find migrants. At the watch the cloud cover as usual was higher at 80% compared to that predicted, the winds were from the WNW, temperature 21>16 C, humidity 29%, clear visibility to 24 km. There was some variable drizzle in the 10:00 o'clock MDT hour.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See: https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant at 10:09 was an RT over Mount Morrison to the SW. By this hour the migrants were already 3 binocular fields above the ridge to the West. Thereafter we did not see any raptors for 1.5 hours except for a distant UR far to the east, so we felt that the migration was happening, but too high to be detected even with binoculars - we were scanning diligently and systematically between 2-4 binocular fields above the ridge, so we thought it was pointless to stay. Non migrant raptors: adult BE 1, RT 1.
Non-raptor Observations:
Blue Jay 1, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 2.
Predictions:
Likely thunderstorms by 12:00 PM and a 64% chance of rain by then. Tuesday has likely rain risk all morning to 73%, while Wednesday has westish winds changing to east with no chance of rain, so far.
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)
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