Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 23, 2012 | |||
| 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 | 6 | 6 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 7 | 68 | 68 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Merlin | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Unknown Falcon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total: | 11 | 110 | 110 |
| Observation start time: | 09:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6 hours |
| Official Counter | Dave Hill |
| Observers: | Ames Rau, Michael Kiessig |
Visitors:
Ames Rau, who hawk watched from this sight in the 1980's with Duane Nelson, helped from 9:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST. 7 runners, 28 hikers, 13 bikers and 18 additional hikers with dogs
Weather:
Today was absolutely wonderful! Temperatures from 63°F to 71°F, SE winds at and below 10 mph, 5-10% cloud cover, and low humidity.
Raptor Observations:
The action, all day, was along the west ridge. Migrants included 7 Red-tailed Hawks; 2 Golden Eagles - 1 adult and 1 juvenile, 1 Merlin; 1 unidentified falcon. 12 sightings of resident Red-tailed hawks; 1 sighting of the resident Prairie Falcon; 1 sighting of a resident Golden Eagle.
Non-raptor Observations:
3 Western Scrub-Jay, 2 Black-billed Magpie, 22 Common Raven, 7 bushtit, 6 Townsend's Solitaire, 1 American Robin, 1 Spotted Towhee, 2 Dark-eyed Junco, 2 Western Meadowlark.
Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff.birek@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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