Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (03 Feb 2023) Raptors
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Feb 3, 2023, 7:29:56 PM2/3/23
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Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
3 hikers and 3 trail joggers!
Weather:
The path was icy in parts, and I was glad I used my crampons. Coming down, some snow had melted and the mud extremely slippery. I had an inch of mud and vegetation stuck to the bottom of my crampons -- a mud version of snowshoes!
Raptor Observations:
While studying for my first regular spring Hawk Watch at Dinosaur Ridge of the species I had never seen in New York State in 30+ years of counting, I read that Ferruginous Hawk adults migrate in February before the immatures, and that Prairie Falcon begins nesting in mid-February! I wondered whether we could be missing some migrants since the official watch begins on March 1. I made a suggestion to Carol Cwiklinsky the Project Lead of the hawk watch that I go up to the watch in February on South-based winds, and she agreed. Today's forecast was for a high of 58°F with light winds from the SW changing to South to East, so we decided to go up though it was probably very early in the season for any migration, went up with the Zen motto of "No expectations." At 11:57 a.m. I said to Liza that if I could see two local GE that would make up for the lack of migrants, and looking with binoculars above the ridge to the NW I saw an adult and a juvenile GE soaring. A raven harassed them repeatedly, and one of them took refuge in a pine tree twice. A non-migrant RT was perched on a utility pole for a long time.
Non-raptor Observations:
American Bushtit 8, Townsend's's Solitaire 3 -- calling and singing, American Robin 1, American Crow 1, Common Raven 12. 2 military jets came from the West only a little above mountain height, one following the other to the East. Beautiful.
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 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)
Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Feb 03, 2023 | |||
| 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Observation start time: | 10:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 2.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Ajit Antony |
| Observers: | Liza Antony |
Visitors:
3 hikers and 3 trail joggers!
Weather:
The path was icy in parts, and I was glad I used my crampons. Coming down, some snow had melted and the mud extremely slippery. I had an inch of mud and vegetation stuck to the bottom of my crampons -- a mud version of snowshoes!
Raptor Observations:
While studying for my first regular spring Hawk Watch at Dinosaur Ridge of the species I had never seen in New York State in 30+ years of counting, I read that Ferruginous Hawk adults migrate in February before the immatures, and that Prairie Falcon begins nesting in mid-February! I wondered whether we could be missing some migrants since the official watch begins on March 1. I made a suggestion to Carol Cwiklinsky the Project Lead of the hawk watch that I go up to the watch in February on South-based winds, and she agreed. Today's forecast was for a high of 58°F with light winds from the SW changing to South to East, so we decided to go up though it was probably very early in the season for any migration, went up with the Zen motto of "No expectations." At 11:57 a.m. I said to Liza that if I could see two local GE that would make up for the lack of migrants, and looking with binoculars above the ridge to the NW I saw an adult and a juvenile GE soaring. A raven harassed them repeatedly, and one of them took refuge in a pine tree twice. A non-migrant RT was perched on a utility pole for a long time.
Non-raptor Observations:
American Bushtit 8, Townsend's's Solitaire 3 -- calling and singing, American Robin 1, American Crow 1, Common Raven 12. 2 military jets came from the West only a little above mountain height, one following the other to the East. Beautiful.
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 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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