Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (21 Nov 2022) Raptors
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Nov 21, 2022, 6:47:22 PM11/21/22
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Weather:
Looking to earth.nullschool.net to decide which day to come up to the watch, all of last week and the rest of this week except today had strong winds from the West at the Wyoming – Colorado border. Today’s wind did not seem particularly favorable with moderate SW winds at the border, as well as moderate winds just north of the watch sweeping around Denver to the East, but I decided to come up on the least unfavorable day. After all without coming up, how will I learn? My wish was to see a migrant RL or GE. The initial half of the trail was snow-free in the sun but the 2nd part in the shade was icy. This was the warmest day at the watch in the past month. I had to take off 2 layers of jackets – down to a fleece only.
Raptor Observations:
Another day with no migrant raptors. At 10:40 AM scanning the western ridge with binoculars I saw an adult GE flying north and it curiously landed on the hillside NE of the watch beyond I-70. At 10:45 AM another GE flushed it. I followed one of them – another adult flying south below the ridge and lost it against the hillside at Mount Morrison. I couldn't find the other one. I then saw an RT diving repeatedly and initially thought it was doing its territorial flight, but I noted that it was diving at one spot. Looking through my scope I found the 1st GE perched next to a small bush (and not feeding), raising its wings once when the RT dove at it, and then walking closer to the bush. The RT gave up for a while. 23 minutes later with the GE perched in the same spot (visible through binoculars only as a dark blob and unrecognizable as a GE), another attempt by the RT made the GE rise and fly north. I wonder why it just sat there for that long. Western RT 4, distant RT another 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
A sedge of 83 Sandhill Crane was a pleasant surprise, Townsend's Solitaire 4, Black-billed Magpie 4, Common Raven 4, American Crow 1, American Robin 2. A band of smog to the NE.
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.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. Northern 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 a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.
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 small signs from the
southwest end of lot to the hawkwatch 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, head through the
gate, and walk to the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge.
(Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain: 259 feet)
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 21, 2022 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total: | 0 | 0 | 78 |
| Observation start time: | 10:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 3 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: |
Weather:
Looking to earth.nullschool.net to decide which day to come up to the watch, all of last week and the rest of this week except today had strong winds from the West at the Wyoming – Colorado border. Today’s wind did not seem particularly favorable with moderate SW winds at the border, as well as moderate winds just north of the watch sweeping around Denver to the East, but I decided to come up on the least unfavorable day. After all without coming up, how will I learn? My wish was to see a migrant RL or GE. The initial half of the trail was snow-free in the sun but the 2nd part in the shade was icy. This was the warmest day at the watch in the past month. I had to take off 2 layers of jackets – down to a fleece only.
Raptor Observations:
Another day with no migrant raptors. At 10:40 AM scanning the western ridge with binoculars I saw an adult GE flying north and it curiously landed on the hillside NE of the watch beyond I-70. At 10:45 AM another GE flushed it. I followed one of them – another adult flying south below the ridge and lost it against the hillside at Mount Morrison. I couldn't find the other one. I then saw an RT diving repeatedly and initially thought it was doing its territorial flight, but I noted that it was diving at one spot. Looking through my scope I found the 1st GE perched next to a small bush (and not feeding), raising its wings once when the RT dove at it, and then walking closer to the bush. The RT gave up for a while. 23 minutes later with the GE perched in the same spot (visible through binoculars only as a dark blob and unrecognizable as a GE), another attempt by the RT made the GE rise and fly north. I wonder why it just sat there for that long. Western RT 4, distant RT another 2.
Non-raptor Observations:
A sedge of 83 Sandhill Crane was a pleasant surprise, Townsend's Solitaire 4, Black-billed Magpie 4, Common Raven 4, American Crow 1, American Robin 2. A band of smog to the NE.
Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.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. Northern 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 a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.
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 small signs from the
southwest end of lot to the hawkwatch 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, head through the
gate, and walk to the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge.
(Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain: 259 feet)
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