Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 12, 2023
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 1 126 141
Osprey 0 12 14
Bald Eagle 0 10 41
Northern Harrier 0 3 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 27 35
Cooper's Hawk 4 91 109
Northern Goshawk 0 1 8
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 0 1 1
Red-tailed Hawk 0 68 355
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1
Ferruginous Hawk 0 3 43
Golden Eagle 0 3 29
American Kestrel 7 112 172
Merlin 0 3 13
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 5
Prairie Falcon 0 0 5
Mississippi Kite 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 3
Unknown Buteo 0 1 2
Unknown Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 2
Total: 13 463 994
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Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley
Observers: Karen Fernandez, Kathy Barnum, Mike Fernandez,
Sammy Korengut
Visitors:
Big thank you to Karen & Mike Fernandez, Kathy Barnum, and Sammy Korengut
for helping me look for birds today. We had ourselves a challenge! Visitors
were low at the site today, with only 8 stopping by briefly. Many visitors
were seen looking in our direction but moving on. I personally think the
sandwich board was helping bring attention our way, as we would see people
look in our direction, see the board, and then come say hi.
Weather:
We had another hot day on the ridge but luckily had cloud cover on and off
for most of the day. Winds started from the E in the morning, shifting N
and then NW by the end of the day. Wind speeds were moderate as the wind
shifted. Relative humidity was incredibly low today, seeing some single
digit readings throughout the day.
Raptor Observations:
Migration was very eerily quiet today with 13 migrants counted. We saw a
nice amount of AK today and some close adult accipiters first thing in the
morning. Local RT (3), TV (3), and GE (1), were seen today many times.
Non-raptor Observations:
Despite migration being slow, we did have a very exciting visitor at the
ridge early in the morning. Karen Fernandez noticed an odd looking raven
with long nasal bristles and white neck feathers that could only be seen
when the wind was blowing correctly. Her husband Mike was able to snap some
photos of the bird, and will be submitting the photos and report to ebird
as a Chihuahuan Raven. This would be the first record of a CHRA in
Jefferson County. Other than the CHRA, passerine activity was also low
today. We did see a ROWR, many of our FOTS, as well as SPTO (2), TOSO (2),
SCJA (1), BCCH (2), CORA (7), and AMCR (4).
Predictions:
Temperatures should be lower tomorrow with more cloud cover. Winds are
predicted to be from the W reaching moderate speeds with some high gusts.
We can often see E winds prevail despite W winds being predicted, but
either way we are just hoping for a good day of migration.
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Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at:
http://www.dfobirds.org
More site information at hawkcount.org:
https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=123
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - Project info at:
https://dunkadoo.org/explore/denver-field-ornithologists/dinosaur-ridge-spring-2023
Site Description:
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is
the best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk
watchers may see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent
site to see rare dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk,
Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk.
Other raptors we see include Golden and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier,
Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned
Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey Vultures. Northern Goshawk is
uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor species include Rock
Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift,
American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any skill level are
always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a Hawk
Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.
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 hawk watch signs
from the southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch 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, and walk to the flat area at the crest of the ridge.
(Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain: 259 feet)
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