Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (05 Mar 2026) 3 Raptors
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Mar 5, 2026, 6:46:49 PM (2 days ago) Mar 5
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
It was a slow day along the trail with 7 Visitors. Thanks to Ryan Gannon for volunteering.
Weather:
It was a warm spring day with a gentle breeze from the southeast in the early morning. As the day went on, the wind picked up before shifting to the southwest. Clouds started few and far between but increased to heavy cloud cover by the end of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Local activity started slow in the morning, picking up as the day went on. Multiple pairs of Red-tailed Hawks were engaged in courtship displays and chasing off other birds including a migrant Red-tailed Hawk. Mid-day, the birds took advantage of the warm weather to gain height, reaching the limit of our binoculars. A migrant Cooper's Hawk streamed past on the west. In the afternoon when winds and cloud cover shifted, the eagles came out. At one time we saw three Golden Eagles - a pair of locals escorting a migrant. Afterwards, we were treated to a show of three Bald Eagles, who soared directly overhead before retreating back south. A Canyon Wren, which is an uncommon visitor to the ridge, was seen singing near the south end of the ridge in the early morning. Mountain Bluebirds continue to migrate past the ridge in fewer numbers than prior days.
Non-raptor Observations:
Northern Flicker 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 3, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 6, Black-Capped Chickadee 1, American Bushtit 33, Canyon Wren 1, Mountain Bluebird 31, Townsend's Solitaire 1, American Robin 1, House Finch 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Snow predicted in the forecast. We are hoping to get a full day of counting if the visibility cooperates. Bring warm winter layers and prepare for wet trail conditions.
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 05, 2026 | |||
| 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipitrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 3 | 16 | 16 |
| Observation start time: | 09:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Emma Riley, Soren Zappia |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
It was a slow day along the trail with 7 Visitors. Thanks to Ryan Gannon for volunteering.
Weather:
It was a warm spring day with a gentle breeze from the southeast in the early morning. As the day went on, the wind picked up before shifting to the southwest. Clouds started few and far between but increased to heavy cloud cover by the end of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Local activity started slow in the morning, picking up as the day went on. Multiple pairs of Red-tailed Hawks were engaged in courtship displays and chasing off other birds including a migrant Red-tailed Hawk. Mid-day, the birds took advantage of the warm weather to gain height, reaching the limit of our binoculars. A migrant Cooper's Hawk streamed past on the west. In the afternoon when winds and cloud cover shifted, the eagles came out. At one time we saw three Golden Eagles - a pair of locals escorting a migrant. Afterwards, we were treated to a show of three Bald Eagles, who soared directly overhead before retreating back south. A Canyon Wren, which is an uncommon visitor to the ridge, was seen singing near the south end of the ridge in the early morning. Mountain Bluebirds continue to migrate past the ridge in fewer numbers than prior days.
Non-raptor Observations:
Northern Flicker 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 3, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 6, Black-Capped Chickadee 1, American Bushtit 33, Canyon Wren 1, Mountain Bluebird 31, Townsend's Solitaire 1, American Robin 1, House Finch 1, Spotted Towhee 1
Predictions:
Snow predicted in the forecast. We are hoping to get a full day of counting if the visibility cooperates. Bring warm winter layers and prepare for wet trail conditions.
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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