[cobirds] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (07 Apr 2012) 33 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 07, 2012
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	5	12	13
Osprey	1	2	3
Bald Eagle	0	1	7
Northern Harrier	0	0	0
Sharp-shinned Hawk	2	2	5
Cooper's Hawk	3	6	14
Northern Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	0	0	0
Red-tailed Hawk	14	27	178
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	2
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	1
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	2
Golden Eagle	0	2	9
American Kestrel	6	8	28
Merlin	0	0	2
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	3
Prairie Falcon	0	0	6
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	2	3	7
Unknown Buteo	0	1	9
Unknown Falcon	0	0	1
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	0	4
Total:	33	64	294

Observation start time:	08:00:00
Observation end time:	15:00:00
Total observation time:	7 hours
Official Counter	Scott Severs
Observers:	Bill Schmoker, Jim Schmoker, Joe Lupfer, Karen Clark, Lee Farrell, Roger Rouch

Visitors:
Twenty-one folks stopped by and inquired about the hawk watch. Mostly hikers and some mountain bikers. Park volunteer Joe also stopped by and helped spot raptors.

Weather:
Mostly sunny with some haze, wind 1-3 B mostly ESE, temps ranged from 7 to 13 C. Excellent team of hawk watchers today: Lee Farrell, Roger Rouch, Jim and Bill Schmoker, Karen Clark and Joe Lupfer, and David Gulbenkian (who had helped count raptors since the inception of the hawk watch in the 1980s).

Raptor Observations:
Six migratory species seen today and 33 individuals. Six local species observed. Most migrants seen west of the hawk watch, and mostly along the west ridge. Many distant views required spotting scopes. Nice naked eye views of presumed local pair of Peregrines soared just down ridge and east of site. Good views of migratory and local Cooper's Hawks.

Non-raptor Observations:
A Killdeer and a pair of light-headed gulls traced the leading line of the ridge. Numerous White-throated Swifts. A distant group of three American White Pelicans. A Rock Wren called on the east side of ridge. We observed a comma butterfly species, and Painted Lady butterfly. Elk and mule deer grazed on Mt. Cabrini. Plus many of the other local resident bird species present during spring.

Predictions:
Warm, sunny conditions and light winds may put many migrant raptors at limits of optical observation. Scopes recommended. Careful attention to horizons and far ridgelines may yield the best results.

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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.