Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (29 Jul 2025) Raptors
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Jul 29, 2025, 6:54:09 PMJul 29
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Weather:
Cooler temperature 26-30°C, 100% cloud cover, light winds increasing from the NE, high humidity around 50%, resulting in clear visibility reduced to 2-4 km only, the sun came out partially through the clouds at 10 am MDT, and we figured that it would take over an hour for any thermals to form, so we waited another 2 hours. Interestingly, though the winds at the watch were from the NE, the radar images showed the winds going from South to North. This would be at the altitude of c. 17,000 feet above sea level, shown clearly on earth.nullschool.net when the height variable is changed to 500 hPa.
Raptor Observations:
No migrants today. Non-migrant Raptors: Golden Eagle 4 (2 adults together without any molt soaring over the Western Ridge going North at 11:30 AM MDT, an adult missing a right 8th primary feather, with a juvenile with white on its wings at 11:40 am further north); a probable Swainson's Hawk with long pointed wings and dihedral came from the North, but dropped to the side of the ridge above the Martin Marietta quarry; RT 5; TV 1. The prediction was for overcast skies, so I wasn't hopeful for any flight, as this would reduce the formation of thermals that buteos depend on. Last night I was correlating Carol's and Steve's findings (at Dinosaur Ridge and Mount Vernon between 2017 and 2022) with the winds aloft on nullschool.net to look for any pattern of winds that predicted a good flight. Carol's notes were hourly, and when I had placed them in chronological order by month and week 3 years ago, I realized I had inadvertently typed 8/5/18 instead of 8/25/18! This is why we had been counting the last week. I realized we should put off further observations until the end of next month. Anyway, I did learn that a few raptor migrants do come through quite early. We came up today as earth.nullschool.net had predicted winds from the North, though in retrospect with no migrants today this was wind spinning anti-clockwise around a low-pressure zone in Colorado rather than a long stream of wind coming all the way down from northern US or Canada which would have been favorable for migration South.
Non-raptor Observations:
Lark Sparrow 1, Spotted Towhee 3 - 2 adults with a juvenile, Northern Flicker 1, Swallow species 3, Lesser Goldfinch 1, hummingbird sp.
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: Jul 29, 2025 | |||
| 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 11:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Weather:
Cooler temperature 26-30°C, 100% cloud cover, light winds increasing from the NE, high humidity around 50%, resulting in clear visibility reduced to 2-4 km only, the sun came out partially through the clouds at 10 am MDT, and we figured that it would take over an hour for any thermals to form, so we waited another 2 hours. Interestingly, though the winds at the watch were from the NE, the radar images showed the winds going from South to North. This would be at the altitude of c. 17,000 feet above sea level, shown clearly on earth.nullschool.net when the height variable is changed to 500 hPa.
Raptor Observations:
No migrants today. Non-migrant Raptors: Golden Eagle 4 (2 adults together without any molt soaring over the Western Ridge going North at 11:30 AM MDT, an adult missing a right 8th primary feather, with a juvenile with white on its wings at 11:40 am further north); a probable Swainson's Hawk with long pointed wings and dihedral came from the North, but dropped to the side of the ridge above the Martin Marietta quarry; RT 5; TV 1. The prediction was for overcast skies, so I wasn't hopeful for any flight, as this would reduce the formation of thermals that buteos depend on. Last night I was correlating Carol's and Steve's findings (at Dinosaur Ridge and Mount Vernon between 2017 and 2022) with the winds aloft on nullschool.net to look for any pattern of winds that predicted a good flight. Carol's notes were hourly, and when I had placed them in chronological order by month and week 3 years ago, I realized I had inadvertently typed 8/5/18 instead of 8/25/18! This is why we had been counting the last week. I realized we should put off further observations until the end of next month. Anyway, I did learn that a few raptor migrants do come through quite early. We came up today as earth.nullschool.net had predicted winds from the North, though in retrospect with no migrants today this was wind spinning anti-clockwise around a low-pressure zone in Colorado rather than a long stream of wind coming all the way down from northern US or Canada which would have been favorable for migration South.
Non-raptor Observations:
Lark Sparrow 1, Spotted Towhee 3 - 2 adults with a juvenile, Northern Flicker 1, Swallow species 3, Lesser Goldfinch 1, hummingbird sp.
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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