Dinosaur Ridge Colorado, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 24, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 2 106 107 Osprey 0 12 13 Bald Eagle 0 2 8 Northern Harrier 0 4 4 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 18 21 Cooper's Hawk 2 55 63 Northern Goshawk 0 2 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 1 10 10 Red-tailed Hawk 2 76 227 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 2 Swainson's Hawk 0 9 10 Ferruginous Hawk 0 0 2 Golden Eagle 0 3 10 American Kestrel 2 76 96 Merlin 0 2 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 5 8 Prairie Falcon 0 4 10 Mississippi Kite 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 31 35 Unknown Buteo 0 14 22 Unknown Falcon 0 5 6 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 7 11 Total: 11 441 671 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours Official Counter: Paul Slingsby Observers: Ashley Thompson, Pete Plage Visitors: A friend of Ashley Thompson, Jim Dicker, visited and watched for hawks with us for a couple of hours. Weather: Clear and calm in the morning, quite cloudy and windy in the afternoon, a high of 26.5 deg. C. Raptor Observations: Very few hawks, local or migrating. Most observations were over Dinosaur Ridge. A renegade Broad-winged Hawk soared from low at the south end of Dinosaur Ridge to very high and then surprised by gliding south west until out of sight. Maybe it will stay the summer. Accipiters soared very high the same but glided north like good migrants. Non-raptor Observations: The Western Scrub Jays are a trio. A Rock Wren and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher have arrived and remained somewhat close most of the day. There were fewer robins and no Townsend's Solitaires. Violet-green and Cliff Swallows came by and White-throated Swifts were often around. Predictions: More hawks on a day of transition. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory ([email protected]) 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 [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
