Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (19 Sep 2025) 11 Raptors
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Sep 19, 2025, 10:36:59 PM (6 days ago) Sep 19
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Al Welby, an experienced birdwatcher and hawk watcher from CT close to the border with New York state helped me for 2 hours. I asked him how he knew to come here , and he had read our reports this fall on Hawkcount. He was good company, and we talked about hawk watches we both knew of and had visited such as Cape May NJ, Lighthouse Point and Quaker Ridge in CT, Franklin Mountain in Oneonta NY for GE; Raccoon Ridge NJ which is downridge from where I used to count at the I-84 Overlook hawk watch. We had both seen the same gray phase gyrfalcon in February 2015 next to the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR in NY, he a day after I did.
Weather:
The surface forecast was for light winds from the W changing to ENE, with a cloud cover of 10% increasing to 65%, but at the watch the cloud cover was 65% mainly high cirrus, almost featureless with a ground glass appearance excellent for finding hawks against, with plenty of filtered sunshine hitting the ground, and light winds from the SSW all day. The temperature ranged from 20>29>24 F, low humidity 20>9%, clear visibility to 24 km. The forecast for the winds aloft was only 3 km/hr from the WNW, while the soaring forecast was good with a maximum rate of lift of 4m/sec, and predicted maximum height of thermals was 9291 feet above ground level.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See: https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk By 9:40 AM MDT there were 2 RT aloft but it took until 11:23 AM for the first migrant CH with an AK seen over the Apex homes to the NW and 2 binocular fields high. At 11:43 I was pointing out a TV to Al, and when he looked with binoculars he said he saw two other birds which turned out to be RT with two smaller buteos which he thought were broadwings, which I was able to confirm as adults by finding their banded tails and black outlining the trailing edges of their wings. In the 1 o'clock hour MDT migrants were high as 4 binocular fields above the ridge to the West! At 1:26 PM an adult GE migrated at 2 binocular fields higher than the ridge. Today was one of the few days without a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, so I decided to stay later to see what happens late afternoon when the height of the thermals decrease, would migrants show up lower, and a CH could be just seen at the extent of unaided vision at 3:59 PM, though after I had found it by binocular scanning. At 4:30 PM I saw a male AK a little above eye-level circle higher and higher in a thermal with hardly any flapping until it was not visible to my eyes, visible with binoculars! The sun is so 'hot' in Denver because of the mile high elevation that thermals persist until the past 5:00 PM. Non migrant raptors: A CH missing a right first rectrix and with a molting left primary, circling extremely high; another CH without molt 3 hours later also circling very high. RT 2. TV 4.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift 5, Violet-green Swallow 2, Blue Jay 1, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Common Raven 2. Monarch butterfly 2, 3 paragliders.
Predictions:
Tomorrow has NW winds aloft at 7 km/hr, and Sunday has WNW winds aloft at 10 km/hr, both not associated with good flights at this location this year, so I'll probably take a day off tomorrow, and maybe Sunday as well.
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 19, 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 | 0 | 10 | 15 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | 17 | 19 |
| American Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 12 | 25 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 18 | 68 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| American Kestrel | 3 | 25 | 31 |
| 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 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Short-eared Owl | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 11 | 113 | 201 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 16:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Al Welby, an experienced birdwatcher and hawk watcher from CT close to the border with New York state helped me for 2 hours. I asked him how he knew to come here , and he had read our reports this fall on Hawkcount. He was good company, and we talked about hawk watches we both knew of and had visited such as Cape May NJ, Lighthouse Point and Quaker Ridge in CT, Franklin Mountain in Oneonta NY for GE; Raccoon Ridge NJ which is downridge from where I used to count at the I-84 Overlook hawk watch. We had both seen the same gray phase gyrfalcon in February 2015 next to the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR in NY, he a day after I did.
Weather:
The surface forecast was for light winds from the W changing to ENE, with a cloud cover of 10% increasing to 65%, but at the watch the cloud cover was 65% mainly high cirrus, almost featureless with a ground glass appearance excellent for finding hawks against, with plenty of filtered sunshine hitting the ground, and light winds from the SSW all day. The temperature ranged from 20>29>24 F, low humidity 20>9%, clear visibility to 24 km. The forecast for the winds aloft was only 3 km/hr from the WNW, while the soaring forecast was good with a maximum rate of lift of 4m/sec, and predicted maximum height of thermals was 9291 feet above ground level.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See: https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk By 9:40 AM MDT there were 2 RT aloft but it took until 11:23 AM for the first migrant CH with an AK seen over the Apex homes to the NW and 2 binocular fields high. At 11:43 I was pointing out a TV to Al, and when he looked with binoculars he said he saw two other birds which turned out to be RT with two smaller buteos which he thought were broadwings, which I was able to confirm as adults by finding their banded tails and black outlining the trailing edges of their wings. In the 1 o'clock hour MDT migrants were high as 4 binocular fields above the ridge to the West! At 1:26 PM an adult GE migrated at 2 binocular fields higher than the ridge. Today was one of the few days without a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, so I decided to stay later to see what happens late afternoon when the height of the thermals decrease, would migrants show up lower, and a CH could be just seen at the extent of unaided vision at 3:59 PM, though after I had found it by binocular scanning. At 4:30 PM I saw a male AK a little above eye-level circle higher and higher in a thermal with hardly any flapping until it was not visible to my eyes, visible with binoculars! The sun is so 'hot' in Denver because of the mile high elevation that thermals persist until the past 5:00 PM. Non migrant raptors: A CH missing a right first rectrix and with a molting left primary, circling extremely high; another CH without molt 3 hours later also circling very high. RT 2. TV 4.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift 5, Violet-green Swallow 2, Blue Jay 1, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Common Raven 2. Monarch butterfly 2, 3 paragliders.
Predictions:
Tomorrow has NW winds aloft at 7 km/hr, and Sunday has WNW winds aloft at 10 km/hr, both not associated with good flights at this location this year, so I'll probably take a day off tomorrow, and maybe Sunday as well.
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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