Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley
Observers: Clay Gibson, Laura Hollenbaugh, Mike Serruto, Ruth Artes
Visitors:
Thank you to today's volunteers Clay Gibson, Ruth Artes, Mike Serruto, and
Laura Hollenbaugh! Your help in spotting raptors and sticking out the winds
is greatly appreciated.
A total of 18 people visited the ridge today, a handful of them familiar
faces to the ridge from this year or previous years.
Weather:
It was a windy day on the ridge today with winds being at 15-20 km/h from
the start of the count. Winds came from the NW to SW all day, gusting up to
speeds of ~40 km/h. The sun was out for a lot of the day, and clouds were
scattered across the sky.
Raptor Observations:
Migration was understandably slow again today with our high W winds. We
still saw some birds moving, many of them coming overhead the site. Turkey
Vultures migrated generally higher than the local TVs were flying today. A
sub-adult Golden Eagle was seen booking it N across Green Mountain. The
bird was briefly stopped by two local Red-tailed Hawks that dove at the
eagle, but the eagle continued N on a mission. A late migrant for us
indeed, but all signs pointed to migration.
Local Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture activity kept us busy today even
when we didn't have migrants in the air. 3+ of each species was often seen
somewhere around us, sometimes spotted moving N. Many RT were seen kiting
and performing aerial displays. The local Peregrine Falcons were seen
briefly flying together near Mt Morrison. Both birds went down to the Red
Rocks area.
Non-raptor Observations:
Common Merganser 9, White-throated Swift 50, Northern Flicker 1, Say's
Phoebe 4, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 3, Black-capped Chickadee 1,
Rock Wren 1, Townsend's Solitaire 2, American Robin 4, Spotted Towhee 2,
Western Meadowlark 1
Predictions:
Winds shift back to the E tomorrow hopefully bringing a bigger push of
birds than we've been seeing the last few days. Partial cloud cover is
expected for most of the day.
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Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (<dinoridgehw...>)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at:
www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
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. American 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 Hawk
Counter(s) and volunteers from March through early 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 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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