Colorado, USA
| Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 26, 2012 | |||
| Species | Day's Count | Month Total | Season Total |
| Black Vulture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture | 1 | 110 | 111 |
| Osprey | 1 | 13 | 14 |
| Bald Eagle | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Northern Harrier | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 0 | 18 | 21 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 57 | 65 |
| Northern Goshawk | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 78 | 229 |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Golden Eagle | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| American Kestrel | 4 | 81 | 101 |
| Merlin | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| Prairie Falcon | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Mississippi Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Accipiter | 0 | 32 | 36 |
| Unknown Buteo | 0 | 14 | 22 |
| Unknown Falcon | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Unknown Eagle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Raptor | 1 | 9 | 13 |
| Total: | 13 | 463 | 693 |
| Observation start time: | 07:00:00 |
| Observation end time: | 14:15:00 |
| Total observation time: | 7.25 hours |
| Official Counter | Bill Wuerthele, Roger Rouch |
| Observers: | Brock Moran, Joel Chapa, Roger Rouch |
Visitors:
In the morning, Brock Moran and David Gulbenkian spent several hours on the Ridge helping us with spotting and identifying raptors (Brock had a good spot of a very high-flying, migrating Osprey). A hiker stopped by to ask what we were doing. She had done raptor monitoring back east and was very interested to learn about the Hawkcount website.
Weather:
A mostly sunny morning gave way to a very cloudy mid-day (cloud cover 95% by 11:00 a.m.), with a brief rain shower at 11:00 a.m. and a thunderstorm shortly after 2:00 p.m. Light easterly winds in the morning picked up and shifted to the west ahead of each storm event. Wind gusts to 6 B (30 mph) accompanied the thunderstorm (the thunderstorm chased us from the Ridge at 2:15 p.m.). Temperatures ranged from 17.8 to 25 C. Temperature and humidity data are from the Weather Underground station at Rooney Road. No BP data are available from that station.
Raptor Observations:
Migrating raptors: A rather slow day on the Ridge, with seven migratory species but only thirteen individuals counted. Nice variety, but few individuals. Continuing to evaluate the question of whether we might be missing an early morning "push" of migrants, Roger arrived on the Ridge at 7:00 a.m. (MST). Only one migrant, a Cooper's Hawk, was counted during the 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. period. Non-migrating raptors included: Turkey Vultures; American Kestrels; Red-tailed Hawks; and a close-in view of an adult Golden Eagle heading south along the east side of the Ridge (at eye level).
Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptors included: Violet-green Swallows; White-throated Swifts; Spotted Towhees: Western Meadowlarks; Common Ravens; American Crows; Western Scrub-Jays; American Robins; Black-billed Magpies; Northern Flickers; and a male Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Penstemon virens are blooming along the Ridge.
Predictions:
Jam tomorrow.
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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