Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 28, 2012 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 | 2 | 134 | 134 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 16 | 16 |
| Merlin | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Unknown Buteo | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Total: | 6 | 206 | 206 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele |
| Observers: | Janet Shin, Roger Rouch |
Visitors:
Debbie Baldwin; Tricia Beaver; Carol Harmon stopped by with their own hawk identification guides. They had been told about the program by a friend and were interested; stopped to talk and ask questions.
Weather:
Warm, sunny day with light to moderate east winds throughout much of the day (high temperature of 70 degrees F). High, scattered clouds in the morning with cumulus clouds building in the west after noon; cloud cover increasing to about 30%. Smoke from the forest fire limited visibility to the south somewhat in the morning, but cleared off later in the day. The constant east wind ensured smoke was not a problem on the Ridge. Temperature and humidity data are from the Weather Underground Station at Rooney Road. No bar. pressure data are available.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating Raptors: total of 6 migrating raptors - two adult Red-tailed Hawks; a Prairie Falcon, hurried along by the local Prairie Falcon; an unidentified Accipiter and an unidentified Buteo, both seen high above the West ridge, gliding north; and a probable juvenile, light morph Ferruginous Hawk gliding east of the Ridge (a naked-eye bird - very light overall underneath, essentially unmarked; upper wings mottled, light brown with bold, white wing panels; light upper tail; wings held in a dihedral as the bird glided along the east side of the Ridge). Non-migrating Raptors: a local, immature Golden Eagle was seen several times along the West Ridge, once being harassed by a Red-tailed Hawk; the local Prairie Falcon was seen on a number of occasions during the day, once carrying prey; a local American Kestrel was seen flying south along the east side of the Ridge; and local Red-tailed Hawks were seen over the West Ridge and Green Mountain.
Non-raptor Observations:
Non-Raptors: Western Meadowlarks; Spotted Towhees; Black-billed Magpies; Townsend's Solitaires; a Common Grackle; American Crows; Common Ravens; Western Scrub-Jays; Rock Pigeons; and a probable Eastern Bluebird (perched male in the scope).
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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