Sunday, 29 April 2012

[cobirds] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (28 Apr 2012) 8 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 28, 2012
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture1111112
Osprey11415
Bald Eagle028
Northern Harrier044
Sharp-shinned Hawk22023
Cooper's Hawk05765
Northern Goshawk022
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk01111
Red-tailed Hawk179230
Rough-legged Hawk002
Swainson's Hawk11112
Ferruginous Hawk002
Golden Eagle0310
American Kestrel081101
Merlin035
Peregrine Falcon069
Prairie Falcon0410
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter13337
Unknown Buteo11523
Unknown Falcon067
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor0913
Total:8471701


Observation start time: 08:15:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 5.75 hours
Official CounterChuck Hundertmark
Observers: David Prentice, Frank Farrell



Visitors:
15 visitors in pairs or threes. Talked briefly about hawks with several.

Weather:
Intermittent wind from the SE up to Beauford 2, shifting to east during last hour of count. Falling barometer. Cloud cover minimal early increasing during afternoon. At 90% when I left at 1400 hours. Haze south and east.

Raptor Observations:
Little activity.

Non-raptor Observations:
Spotted Towhee 5, including copulating pair. Western Meadowlark, 3; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2;American Robin, 2; Townsend's Solitaire, 2 (possible courtship flight); Rock Wren, 1; Western Scrub-jay, 2; Black-billed Magpie, 1; Common Raven, 4; White-throated Swift, up to a dozen at a time; Violet-green Swallow, 6 or more; Barn Swallow, 1; Broad-tailed Hummingbird, 1; Elk, 3.


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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