Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (23 Mar 2020) 3 Raptors
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Mar 23, 2020, 7:43:27 PM3/23/20
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Fewer hikers and bikers were on the trails today; hardly anyone came up onto the platform. After learning about HawkWatch, some hikers were interested enough to ask what we normally spotted and patient enough to listen to a short added explanation that some types of raptors migrate through later in the season. David Gulbenkian arrived about mid-day to help watch the skies for a little while. Everyone practiced social distancing.
Weather:
The morning's sunny blue sky, with 30-percent cloud-cover resting mostly at the horizons, shifted to a 90-95-percent heavy gray cloud-covered sky (with blue only at the horizons) before noon MST. Early southwest winds shifted quickly to come mostly from the east; winds were mild (bft 1-2) but strengthened to bft 3 near noon. The temperature rose from 3 C to 11 C before it dropped slightly to 10 C with the stronger winds and heavy cloud cover. Broken snow cover was extensive on the western ridges, the western valley and on Green Mountain. Visibility was good.
Raptor Observations:
The day was slow. Even the local Red-tailed Hawks seemed often to keep their distance, mostly preferring to cruise the distant western ridges. A highlight of the day was the northbound Prairie Falcon, initially spotted by David, at the same time three local Red-tailed Hawks (finally closer) circled high above the platform, vying for our attention. In the sunny morning, it was a pleasure to see (likely) the same local adult Turkey Vulture again come north, circle back and land on a power-pole just north of the platform; with its back to the sun, it spread its wings for a while, then turned and began to preen. It departed south again after about 20 minutes.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Western Meadowlark, somewhere in Rooney Valley, was heard briefly a few times in the morning. Also seen or heard today were Townsend's Solitaire, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie, Pine Siskin, Spotted Towhee, Mountain Bluebird, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Western Bluebird, and American Crow.
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: Mar 23, 2020 | |||
| 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 | 10 | 10 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 57 | 57 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Total: | 3 | 86 | 86 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 13:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 5 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: | David Gulbenkian |
Visitors:
Fewer hikers and bikers were on the trails today; hardly anyone came up onto the platform. After learning about HawkWatch, some hikers were interested enough to ask what we normally spotted and patient enough to listen to a short added explanation that some types of raptors migrate through later in the season. David Gulbenkian arrived about mid-day to help watch the skies for a little while. Everyone practiced social distancing.
Weather:
The morning's sunny blue sky, with 30-percent cloud-cover resting mostly at the horizons, shifted to a 90-95-percent heavy gray cloud-covered sky (with blue only at the horizons) before noon MST. Early southwest winds shifted quickly to come mostly from the east; winds were mild (bft 1-2) but strengthened to bft 3 near noon. The temperature rose from 3 C to 11 C before it dropped slightly to 10 C with the stronger winds and heavy cloud cover. Broken snow cover was extensive on the western ridges, the western valley and on Green Mountain. Visibility was good.
Raptor Observations:
The day was slow. Even the local Red-tailed Hawks seemed often to keep their distance, mostly preferring to cruise the distant western ridges. A highlight of the day was the northbound Prairie Falcon, initially spotted by David, at the same time three local Red-tailed Hawks (finally closer) circled high above the platform, vying for our attention. In the sunny morning, it was a pleasure to see (likely) the same local adult Turkey Vulture again come north, circle back and land on a power-pole just north of the platform; with its back to the sun, it spread its wings for a while, then turned and began to preen. It departed south again after about 20 minutes.
Non-raptor Observations:
A Western Meadowlark, somewhere in Rooney Valley, was heard briefly a few times in the morning. Also seen or heard today were Townsend's Solitaire, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie, Pine Siskin, Spotted Towhee, Mountain Bluebird, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Western Bluebird, and American Crow.
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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