Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 19, 2012 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 16 | 78 | 79 |
| Osprey | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 2 | 12 | 15 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 5 | 43 | 51 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 63 | 214 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| American Kestrel | 7 | 61 | 81 |
| Merlin | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 4 | 21 | 25 |
| Unknown Buteo | 2 | 11 | 19 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Total: | 38 | 333 | 563 |
| Observation start time: | 07:15:00 |
| Observation end time: | 15:00:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.75 hours |
| Official Counter | Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Bill Wuerthele, Karen Bellina |
Visitors:
David Delbenki (sp?), a long time visitor to the site, stopped by briefly to spot and recount some of the history of the program. A young man named Evan with an excited interest in learning more about raptors helped spot late in the day.
Weather:
Partly cloudy in the morning and later afternoon and mostly cloudy mid-day. Cool, with temperatures warming from 10 C to 16 C during the day. A light wind off and on during the day, variable in direction but mostly from the NE.
Raptor Observations:
Observation started early at 8:15 (daylight savings time) after seeing the report and predictions from Wed. for early movement. The first hour and half was a more active period of the day and included a formation of 12 migrating Turkey Vultures. Early day migrating raptors were close and over or along Dino ridge. Later raptor sightings were variable with some higher and over the ridge and others distant over the west ridges. Local raptors included a few red-tails and a cooper's. Local Turkey Vultures circled around Mt. Morrison and the west ridge off and on during mid-day. A pair of unidentified non-migrating "mystery birds" possibly matching the mystery bird description on Tuesday were observed along the west side of the ridge. They were falcon-like in size and general shape, but buoyant and wispy flight, and impressions of more slender wings than a falcon?
Non-raptor Observations:
Small numbers of Western Meadow Lark, Common Raven, Black-billed Magpie, Spotted Towhee, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Western Scrub Jay, and Rock Wren were sighted or heard. White-throated Swift and Violet-green Swallow were observed as individuals and a few small groups.
Predictions:
Don't know if the trend for early morning activity will continue with a shift to more stable weather, but maybe?
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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