Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 25, 2012 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 3 | 109 | 110 |
| Osprey | 0 | 12 | 13 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 18 | 21 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 0 | 55 | 63 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 77 | 228 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| American Kestrel | 1 | 77 | 97 |
| Merlin | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 1 | 32 | 36 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 14 | 22 |
| Unknown Falcon | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 8 | 12 |
| Total: | 9 | 450 | 680 |
| Observation start time: | 08:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:30:00 |
| Total observation time: | 6.5 hours |
| Official Counter | Jennifer Hyypio |
| Observers: | Janet Shin, LeAnn Joswick |
Visitors:
12 hikers from the Colorado Mountain Club. A women hiker stopped by plus two other visitors. Justin and Chris stayed for awhile and helped observe.
Weather:
Started the day with 100% high cloud cover which changed to moisture bearing clouds that increased through the day. Temps increased 19C to 23C in the last hour. Good visibility, winds from the east switching to N and W by the close of the day.
Raptor Observations:
Majority migrating raptor activity took place from 9 to 11. From 11 to 2:30 we saw only a resident male Kestrel. The Merlin was close on the east side of dinosaur ridge, affording us good views of the black/white banded tail. Swainson's Hawk flew north up the road on the west side, a first for Wednesday count as was the Merlin. Some migrating Buteos were too far away to call over the west ridge north of Mount Morrison. Turkey Vulture flew overhead and resident Red-tailed Hawks displayed courting dives.
Non-raptor Observations:
Birds: Scrub Jay, Eastern Blue Jay, White-throated Swift, Black-billed Magpie, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, 3 White Pelicans, Raven, Western Meadowlark, Spotted Towhee, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Mourning Dove. Lizard, Rattlesnake, Butterflies
Predictions:
It seems the migration is slowing. 3 hours was a long time for Wednesday count to not have a migrating raptor.
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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