[cobirds] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (18 Apr 2012) 43 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 18, 2012
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	16	62	63
Osprey	1	10	11
Bald Eagle	0	2	8
Northern Harrier	0	4	4
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0	10	13
Cooper's Hawk	6	38	46
Northern Goshawk	2	2	2
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	5	6	6
Red-tailed Hawk	5	62	213
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	2
Swainson's Hawk	0	1	2
Ferruginous Hawk	0	0	2
Golden Eagle	0	2	9
American Kestrel	3	54	74
Merlin	0	2	4
Peregrine Falcon	1	4	7
Prairie Falcon	0	2	8
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipiter	0	17	21
Unknown Buteo	2	9	17
Unknown Falcon	0	4	5
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	2	4	8
Total:	43	295	525

Observation start time:	08:00:00
Observation end time:	15:00:00
Total observation time:	7 hours
Official Counter	Jennifer Hyypio
Observers:	Janet Shin, LeAnn Joswick

Visitors:
Nathan Berry birded from 8-noon and was great company. Doug Faulkner stayed for an hour. Group of 7 friendly women hikers, A St. Bernard with 2 human friends, and 4 other hikers.

Weather:
Winds light to moderate from the E-NE. Light cloud coverage at the start, with 95% coverage by the end of the day. Good visibility.

Raptor Observations:
Exciting day! Highest numbers for Wednesday count this season. New birds for Wednesday counts Osprey, Broad-winged Hawk, Northern Goshawk and Turkey Vulture. Most raptors in the 9-10am hour. Birds were visible close or with binoculars. Fantastic views of the Broad-winged Hawks and Goshawks as they flew low overhead. Many interactions between birds. American Kestrel chased a migrating Red-tailed Hawk striking it on the body, dorsal side. Ravens harassed a resident Red-tailed Hawk down the valley on the west side of the ridge. Resident Red-tailed Hawk escorted a migrating Cooper's Hawk on north.

Non-raptor Observations:
Other birds Black-billed Magpie, Western Meadowlark, Scrub Jay, American Robin, Raven, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, White-throated Swift, Rock Wren, Townsend's Solitaire and...a White Pelican! Butterflies Whites, Sulfur, Yellow Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Painted Lady

Predictions:
Weather forecast for April 19 is for afternoon shower. Perhaps the birds will know this and they will be active in the morning making migration movement early.

---

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.