Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 21, 2011
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 4 80 87
Osprey 2 19 20
Bald Eagle 0 4 37
Northern Harrier 0 8 11
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 25 37
Cooper's Hawk 1 56 69
Northern Goshawk 0 2 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 4 15 15
Red-tailed Hawk 5 121 281
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 2
Swainson's Hawk 2 4 4
Ferruginous Hawk 0 0 10
Golden Eagle 0 1 13
American Kestrel 2 146 178
Merlin 0 5 6
Peregrine Falcon 1 2 2
Prairie Falcon 1 8 17
Mississippi Kite 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 1 20 20
Unknown Buteo 1 11 25
Unknown Falcon 3 14 16
Unknown Eagle 0 1 1
Unknown Raptor 1 10 13
Total: 31 552 867
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Roger Rouch
Observers: Bill Wuerthele, Chris Tremmeling , Joe Lupfer, Joel Chapa,
Karen Clark
Visitors:
A gentleman named Dave stopped by for about an hour, but I missed his last
name.
Weather:
A dense fog shrouded the ridge at the start of the day, but burned off
quickly after the first hour. The remainder of the day had a only a few
clouds and was warm and breezy. Winds were generally from the east.
Raptor Observations:
About 8 or 10 local redtail and 8 or 10 local turkey vultures were sighted
and probably re-sighted during the day. Other non-migratory raptors
included a goshawk, a cooper's, a golden eagle, and a kestrel.
One of the broad-winged hawks counted as a migrator had a distinct dark
morph appearance.
Flight pattern was mostly above the ridge and increased in elevation as
the day warmed.
Non-raptor Observations:
There was a typical late spring chorus of meadowlarks, robins, towhees, and
scrub-jays. Counted sightings were 8 scrub-jay, 4 raven, 1 white-breasted
nuthatch, 2 western bluebird, 2 mountain chickadee, 1 townsend's solitaire,
7 chipping sparrow, and 3 violet-green swallow. Swifts whizzed by both
near and far, numbering perhaps 30 or more.
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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.
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