Dinosaur RidgeColorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2012 |
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 15 | 149 | 149 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 16 | 16 |
| Merlin | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Total: | 17 | 223 | 223 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Dave Hill |
| Observers: | Evan Vitale, John McKinney, Michael Kiessig |
Visitors:14 visitors actually came up to our lookout, Evan Vitale and John McKinney stayed for 40 minutes and spotted birds. Others passed by. They included 71 hikers, 26 bikers, 2 runners and 7 dogs.
Weather:Another wonderful day on the ridge! Temps from 59°F to 74°F. Gentle winds and unlimited visibility with clear skies.
Raptor Observations:Migrants included 15 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Turkey Vulture and 1 Peregrine Falcon. Local raptors observed included American Kestrel (4 sightings), Red-tailed Hawk (15 sightings), Coopers Hawk (1 sighting), Adult Golden Eagle (1 sighting)
Non-raptor Observations:
Today's highlight included the reappearance of the Greater Roadrunner. At 1:20 PM MDT Michael Keissig observed it walking south at ridge height just to the north of our HawkWatch lookout point. It then presented itself for all of 15 seconds right on the platform of the HawkWatch lookout, in the sun, checking us out! before proceeding on its way to the south beside the ridge summit. Other sightings included 3 Western Scrub-Jay, 5 Black-billed Magpie, 2 American Crow, 4 Common Raven, 2 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Mountain Chickadee, 5 Townsend's Solitaire, 2 American Robin, 4 Spotted Towhee, 2 Western Meadowlark, and 4 House Finch
Predictions:Most activity, today, required scope work along the west ridge.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (
jeff.birek@rmbo.org)
Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at:
http://www.rmbo.org/Site DescriptionDinosaur 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.
