Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (09 Apr 2017) 19 Raptors
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Apr 9, 2017, 9:50:29 PM4/9/17
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Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Colorado, USA
Visitors:
Dominic (former Hawkwatcher and his parents current Hawkwatchers in NY) from 0900-0930 mst was a great help in spotting. Then from 0930-1100 mst, Pam (former longtime Dinosaur Ridge Hawkwatcher), led a group of well-equiped and motivated adult students: Secondary school teachers taking a continuing education class on raptors through the School of Mines. Talk about eyes on the skies! The group of about 12 teachers had some preparation yesterday (plus a few obviously had prior experience) and spent 90 minutes helping out. It turns out it was the busiest birding time of day on the hill. Very promising for future Hawkwatch volunteers? It helped that Pam met with Joyce earlier this week on the hill to plan. Generally, all day there was never more than five minutes without someone visiting the station (which is a welcome change). Sometimes it was hard to wind my way through the crowds on the platform to keep up the watch, but so well worth the extra help!
Weather:
Gusty winds all day, but especially after 1100 mst when they shifted to the west and temps dropped a bit. Gusts up to 7 BFT; I learned to keep my arms tucked in (versus shaped like a kite) when holding up the binoculars perched on the western edge of the platform in this wind. Cloud cover % was volitile all day. Drive home, Colorado Rockies baseball radio: "gusts of wind are picking up debris that looks like flocks of birds in Coors Field." (WUnderground station: Soltera)
Raptor Observations:
Local Red-tailed (counted 4 individuals) appeared often throughout the day and hovered, but each time for less than a minute only to vanish in the wind. Local Kestrel dashed low on the east ridge bottom early. Migrators moved straight north in line with the ridge, directly above or slightly one side or the other. Most were eye level or slightly above.
Non-raptor Observations:
WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS! N=130. Ten came through migrating directly overhead and to the east side as soon as i arrived; and it never let up all day. I counted only the ones who kept moving north. Four mule deer on the west slope mid level then moved to street level. Non Raptors seen or heard: Black-billed Magpies (4), American Crows (4), Common Raven (8), Canyon Wren (1), Mountain Bluebirds (2), Western Bluebird (1), Townsend's Solitaire (3), American Robin (1), Spotted Towhee (2), Western Meadowlakr (1).
Predictions:
If you like to watch them fly in the wind, the Swifts–and who doesn't–could be another good day.
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.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 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 09, 2017 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 8 | 13 | 13 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | 8 | 18 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 16 | 21 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 4 | 23 | 203 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 8 | 20 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Unknown Falcon | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Total: | 19 | 80 | 336 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Mike Fernandez |
| Observers: |
Visitors:
Dominic (former Hawkwatcher and his parents current Hawkwatchers in NY) from 0900-0930 mst was a great help in spotting. Then from 0930-1100 mst, Pam (former longtime Dinosaur Ridge Hawkwatcher), led a group of well-equiped and motivated adult students: Secondary school teachers taking a continuing education class on raptors through the School of Mines. Talk about eyes on the skies! The group of about 12 teachers had some preparation yesterday (plus a few obviously had prior experience) and spent 90 minutes helping out. It turns out it was the busiest birding time of day on the hill. Very promising for future Hawkwatch volunteers? It helped that Pam met with Joyce earlier this week on the hill to plan. Generally, all day there was never more than five minutes without someone visiting the station (which is a welcome change). Sometimes it was hard to wind my way through the crowds on the platform to keep up the watch, but so well worth the extra help!
Weather:
Gusty winds all day, but especially after 1100 mst when they shifted to the west and temps dropped a bit. Gusts up to 7 BFT; I learned to keep my arms tucked in (versus shaped like a kite) when holding up the binoculars perched on the western edge of the platform in this wind. Cloud cover % was volitile all day. Drive home, Colorado Rockies baseball radio: "gusts of wind are picking up debris that looks like flocks of birds in Coors Field." (WUnderground station: Soltera)
Raptor Observations:
Local Red-tailed (counted 4 individuals) appeared often throughout the day and hovered, but each time for less than a minute only to vanish in the wind. Local Kestrel dashed low on the east ridge bottom early. Migrators moved straight north in line with the ridge, directly above or slightly one side or the other. Most were eye level or slightly above.
Non-raptor Observations:
WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS! N=130. Ten came through migrating directly overhead and to the east side as soon as i arrived; and it never let up all day. I counted only the ones who kept moving north. Four mule deer on the west slope mid level then moved to street level. Non Raptors seen or heard: Black-billed Magpies (4), American Crows (4), Common Raven (8), Canyon Wren (1), Mountain Bluebirds (2), Western Bluebird (1), Townsend's Solitaire (3), American Robin (1), Spotted Towhee (2), Western Meadowlakr (1).
Predictions:
If you like to watch them fly in the wind, the Swifts–and who doesn't–could be another good day.
Report submitted by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (jeff....@birdconservancy.org)
Dinosaur Ridge - Bird Conservancy of the Rockies information may be found at: http://www.birdconservancy.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 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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