Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 04, 2012 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Osprey | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Bald Eagle | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 7 | 11 | 162 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| American Kestrel | 0 | 1 | 21 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total: | 9 | 21 | 251 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7 hours |
| Official Counter | Jennifer Hyypio |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Janet Shin, Jim Schmoker, LeAnn Joswick, Roger Rouch |
Visitors:
Andy Smith from Baltimore visited for 5 hours and saw a "life" bird the Townsend's Solitaire. Pam Batton a Hawkwatch volunteer from years back visited for 3 hours and spotted the Bald Eagle. We had a group of 5 hikers and a Golden Retriever with his hiker visit the site.
Weather:
Sunny, light cloud coverage. Winds calm first hour then increasing only slightly through the day. Small temperature gains, good visibility.
Raptor Observations:
15 Red-tailed Hawk sightings, 7 were migrating north. 2 unknown raptors, 1 unknown Falcon. 2 Cooper's Hawks, 1 migrating. Resident Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon and male Kestrel. Adult Bald Eagle migrating. An action packed day with numerous sightings, skilled observers resulting in stimulating raptor dialog! Great views of very light ventral sides of 2 Red-tailed Hawks moving north. A striking dark/med morph Red-tailed with dark head and belly band and deep rufous chest. Another Red-tailed hawk with so much rufous and light color we needed to see a photo with patagial bar to confirm. Red-tailed hawks also provided displays of circling and "roller coaster" flights. Also had a Red-tailed hawk soar off a thermal to chase a smaller bird from trees on west side of ridge and then it returned south. Resident Praire Falcon offered great photo ops while perching on power pole.
Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds Western Scrub-Jay, Western Meadowlark, Black-billed Magpie, Townsend's Solitaire, Black-capped Chickadee, Raven, Spotted Towhee, Northern Flicked
Predictions:
Perhaps if weather stays clear the migration will continue to bring greater number of raptors
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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