HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (06 Apr 2015) 7 Raptors
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rep...@hawkcount.org
Apr 7, 2015, 10:30:35 AM4/7/15
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Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
A number of raptor enthusiasts showed up today and were quite helpful, as well as being good company. Jim Schmoker was an able ally early on when it was necessary to distinguish the active locals from possible migrants. John Dwyer, who has come up to help at HawkWatch in the past, lent a sharp eye, calling attention to the one Red-tailed Hawk that was soon determined to be a migrant. Lori Potter and Eric Perryman arrived later in the afternoon to help watch and were very good spotters, despite raptor activity having become mostly high and distant.
Weather:
The day was sunny and warm with a mostly unbroken blue sky, although some scattered cloud cover began to develop in the afternoon. Temperatures ranged from 17 to 21 C (63 to 70 F). Visibility was good. The wind came consistently from the east or southeast at a fairly constant beaufort level 2, with only the occasional lull or level 3 gust.
Raptor Observations:
Most of the migrants this day were Turkey Vultures and all but one migrant passed well to the west of the Ridge. Observed migrant height-of-flight increased steadily as the day wore on. The local Red-tailed Hawks, including a local juvenile, made several appearances, mostly over WestRidge and Mount Morrison. At one point, one of them encouraged a migrating Red-tailed Hawk to continue north. The local Rooney Valley Red-tail pair was seen again circling together with dropped legs. At least one local Turkey Vulture made the rounds up and down the Ridge, mostly keeping to the west. A local Cooper's Hawk, hanging around WestRidge, eventually crossed over to Green Mountain. A Peregrine Falcon, likely one of the pair at Red Rocks, was seen a few times to the southeast over the valley. A female (or possibly juvenile) Northern Harrier was observed flying low to the ground on the slope below WestRidge as it hovered, moved, and hovered again, hunting and working its way slowly southward.
Non-raptor Observations:
Also seen and heard were Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Mountain Chickadee, Western Meadowlark, White-throated Swift, Townsend's Solitaire, American Crow, Common Raven, Western Scrub-Jay, Rock Pigeon, Bushtit, and Dark-eyed Junco.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff....@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.org/
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 the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of 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 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 06, 2015 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 4 | 26 | 26 |
| Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 24 | 97 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 9 | 28 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total: | 7 | 81 | 204 |
| Observation start time: | 08:30:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Joyce Commercon |
| Observers: | Jim Schmoker |
Visitors:
A number of raptor enthusiasts showed up today and were quite helpful, as well as being good company. Jim Schmoker was an able ally early on when it was necessary to distinguish the active locals from possible migrants. John Dwyer, who has come up to help at HawkWatch in the past, lent a sharp eye, calling attention to the one Red-tailed Hawk that was soon determined to be a migrant. Lori Potter and Eric Perryman arrived later in the afternoon to help watch and were very good spotters, despite raptor activity having become mostly high and distant.
Weather:
The day was sunny and warm with a mostly unbroken blue sky, although some scattered cloud cover began to develop in the afternoon. Temperatures ranged from 17 to 21 C (63 to 70 F). Visibility was good. The wind came consistently from the east or southeast at a fairly constant beaufort level 2, with only the occasional lull or level 3 gust.
Raptor Observations:
Most of the migrants this day were Turkey Vultures and all but one migrant passed well to the west of the Ridge. Observed migrant height-of-flight increased steadily as the day wore on. The local Red-tailed Hawks, including a local juvenile, made several appearances, mostly over WestRidge and Mount Morrison. At one point, one of them encouraged a migrating Red-tailed Hawk to continue north. The local Rooney Valley Red-tail pair was seen again circling together with dropped legs. At least one local Turkey Vulture made the rounds up and down the Ridge, mostly keeping to the west. A local Cooper's Hawk, hanging around WestRidge, eventually crossed over to Green Mountain. A Peregrine Falcon, likely one of the pair at Red Rocks, was seen a few times to the southeast over the valley. A female (or possibly juvenile) Northern Harrier was observed flying low to the ground on the slope below WestRidge as it hovered, moved, and hovered again, hunting and working its way slowly southward.
Non-raptor Observations:
Also seen and heard were Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Mountain Chickadee, Western Meadowlark, White-throated Swift, Townsend's Solitaire, American Crow, Common Raven, Western Scrub-Jay, Rock Pigeon, Bushtit, and Dark-eyed Junco.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff....@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.org/
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 the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the
first week of 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 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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