Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (29 Mar 2026) 16 Raptors
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Mar 29, 2026, 11:39:12 PM (2 days ago) Mar 29
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
19 visitors. We had another DFO trip visit this morning! The group was able to see raptors at all distances including close a close RT, AK, CH and SS. Thank you to Jason Bidgood for leading the trip. We also saw many dogs on the trails today, including one wearing a baseball cap! Thank you also to our volunteers Janet Peters, Chris Gulbransen, and Cayce Gulbransen for all the help and great spotting today!
Weather:
The day quickly warmed and we spent most the day in the low 80s F. Cloud cover was thin and wispy but extensive in the morning. While the thin clouds faded, in the later afternoon we had mostly cloudy skies with more defined denser clouds, at times blocking the sun. The wind was light, except for a windier period midday. Winds started as west but switched to east in midafternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Raptor activity slowed a bit today compared to the past few days, but we had a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and two American Kestrels migrate in the first hour close overhead, as well as a distant Cooper's Hawk. After that, activity was quieter with a few birds per hour from late morning to midafternoon, mostly far on the west side. Highlights included an Osprey gliding through the sky in the late afternoon, and a Northern Harrier soaring high to the west in the final hour of the count. There was a lot of Turkey Vulture activity throughout the day, but none seemed to want to migrate, often gliding quite far north before turning around.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift 8, Say's Phoebe 1, Steller's Jay 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 1, Magpie 1, American Crow 2, Common Raven 5, Black-capped Chickadee 1, House Finch 1, Pine Siskin 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Tomorrow, similar high temperatures are predicted with highs near 80F. Cloud cover is predicted to vary from partly cloudy to mostly sunny. West winds are predicted, starting as light in the morning intensifying in the afternoon, with possible wind gusts of up to 29 MPH forecasted.
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]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]
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, and American White Pelican. 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: Mar 29, 2026 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 24 | 24 |
| Osprey | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Bald Eagle | 1 | 13 | 13 |
| Northern Harrier | 2 | 12 | 12 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 17 | 17 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | 49 | 49 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 4 | 239 | 239 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| American Kestrel | 4 | 128 | 128 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total: | 16 | 520 | 520 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 17:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 8.88 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley, Soren Zappia |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
19 visitors. We had another DFO trip visit this morning! The group was able to see raptors at all distances including close a close RT, AK, CH and SS. Thank you to Jason Bidgood for leading the trip. We also saw many dogs on the trails today, including one wearing a baseball cap! Thank you also to our volunteers Janet Peters, Chris Gulbransen, and Cayce Gulbransen for all the help and great spotting today!
Weather:
The day quickly warmed and we spent most the day in the low 80s F. Cloud cover was thin and wispy but extensive in the morning. While the thin clouds faded, in the later afternoon we had mostly cloudy skies with more defined denser clouds, at times blocking the sun. The wind was light, except for a windier period midday. Winds started as west but switched to east in midafternoon.
Raptor Observations:
Raptor activity slowed a bit today compared to the past few days, but we had a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and two American Kestrels migrate in the first hour close overhead, as well as a distant Cooper's Hawk. After that, activity was quieter with a few birds per hour from late morning to midafternoon, mostly far on the west side. Highlights included an Osprey gliding through the sky in the late afternoon, and a Northern Harrier soaring high to the west in the final hour of the count. There was a lot of Turkey Vulture activity throughout the day, but none seemed to want to migrate, often gliding quite far north before turning around.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift 8, Say's Phoebe 1, Steller's Jay 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 1, Magpie 1, American Crow 2, Common Raven 5, Black-capped Chickadee 1, House Finch 1, Pine Siskin 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Tomorrow, similar high temperatures are predicted with highs near 80F. Cloud cover is predicted to vary from partly cloudy to mostly sunny. West winds are predicted, starting as light in the morning intensifying in the afternoon, with possible wind gusts of up to 29 MPH forecasted.
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]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]
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, and American White Pelican. 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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