Dinosaur Ridge Colorado, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 26, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1 1 1 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 3 32 32 Northern Harrier 0 2 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 9 9 Cooper's Hawk 4 11 11 Northern Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 18 137 137 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Ferruginous Hawk 0 10 10 Golden Eagle 0 12 12 American Kestrel 6 18 18 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Prairie Falcon 2 9 9 Mississippi Kite 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 13 13 Unknown Falcon 0 2 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 2 2 Total: 35 262 262 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Scott Severs Observers: Jim Schmoker, Lee Farrell, Roger Rouch, Tom Ryon Visitors: Many excellent spotters today including Jonathan Stein from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, John, Suzanne and Elizabeth Steele, Dave Prentice, Nevin Corl. RMBO volunteer coordinator Abby Churchill brought four friends. Six additional hikers stopped and asked questions. Weather: Times adjusted for MST. Winds out of NW first three hours then shifting mostly from the ESE during the final four hours. Clouds increased throughout the day from 30% to 90%. Temperatures ranged from 3C to 10C. Raptor Observations: 35 total migrants seen. Excellent visibility of raptors today mainly moving directly along ridge or on west side. Many birds at eye level or visible with the naked eye, including several Bald Eagles, Cooper's Hawks and American Kestrels. Volunteers also observed the first Turkey Vulture to be seen from the ridge for 2011. Local raptors: Red-tailed Hawk (6), American Kestrel (2), Golden Eagle (1). Non-raptor Observations: W. Bluebird (13), W. Scrub-Jay (3), Black-billed Magpie (6), American Crow (18), Black-capped Chickadee (2), Mountain Chickadee (3), N. Flicker (2), W. Meadowlark (2), Spotted Towhee (1), House Finch (1), Brown Creeper (1), Bushtit (2), Common Raven (6), American Robin (6), Mountain Bluebird (3). ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff.bi...@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. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
