Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (18 Apr 2020) 115 Raptors
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Apr 18, 2020, 6:08:43 PM4/18/20
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Karen Bellina helped locate raptors for the last hour of the day. There were quite a few hikers, and a couple people looking for the US Air Force Thunderbirds flyover. We saw the formation late in the day passing Golden heading towards Denver.
Weather:
Mostly cloudy throughout the count period. Winds generally light N-NE. There were a few sun breaks with comfortable temperatures. It remained dry but storms developing from the south ended our observations at 1300.
Raptor Observations:
Birds were fun to watch today as many flew close to Dino ridge. Many were at eye level and several flew just over our heads and straight at us along the ridge top. We saw some very low on the East, so close in to the ridge they were sometimes hard to spot. Later in the day as thermals developed we had a nice flight of high birds, some in kettles. We saw few birds flying along the western ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Hundreds of white-throated swifts were flying today. We also saw violet green and tree swallows, and several small groups of yellow-rumped warblers.
Report submitted by Matthew Smith (matt....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may
be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged
Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see
resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to
migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and
Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern
Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes
Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White
Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome.
The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.
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 south
side of lot to 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.
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 18, 2020 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 29 | 36 | 38 |
| Osprey | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 13 | 17 | 22 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 17 | 20 | 26 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 13 | 96 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 7 | 16 | 21 |
| Merlin | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total: | 115 | 150 | 284 |
| Observation start time: | 08:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 4.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Carol Cwiklinski |
| Observers: | Karen Bellina, Steve Small |
Visitors:
Karen Bellina helped locate raptors for the last hour of the day. There were quite a few hikers, and a couple people looking for the US Air Force Thunderbirds flyover. We saw the formation late in the day passing Golden heading towards Denver.
Weather:
Mostly cloudy throughout the count period. Winds generally light N-NE. There were a few sun breaks with comfortable temperatures. It remained dry but storms developing from the south ended our observations at 1300.
Raptor Observations:
Birds were fun to watch today as many flew close to Dino ridge. Many were at eye level and several flew just over our heads and straight at us along the ridge top. We saw some very low on the East, so close in to the ridge they were sometimes hard to spot. Later in the day as thermals developed we had a nice flight of high birds, some in kettles. We saw few birds flying along the western ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Hundreds of white-throated swifts were flying today. We also saw violet green and tree swallows, and several small groups of yellow-rumped warblers.
Report submitted by Matthew Smith (matt....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.org/
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may
be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged
Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see
resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to
migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and
Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern
Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes
Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White
Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome.
The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies from about 9 AM to around 3 PM from March 1st to May 7th.
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 south
side of lot to 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.
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