Observation start time: 09:15:00
Observation end time: 12:45:00
Total observation time: 3.5 hours
Official Counter: Ajit Antony
Observers: Liza Antony
Visitors:
A young man, a hiker wanted to know what we were looking at. I explained
that we were counting migrating hawks and eagles, and he was quite
surprised that birds migrated! I explained that in spring and fall there
are millions of birds which fly at night over his home, and most lay people
are totally unaware of this migration.
Weather:
Weather.gov predicted light NE winds with 84% cloud cover dropping by 11:00
AM to 67% and increasing to 77% in the afternoon. The winds aloft the
according to earth.nullschool.net were from the NNW At 13 km per hour. At
the watch there was 80% cloud cover which dropped to 40%, then 55%, then
60% with plenty of sunshine. Humidity was fairly high at 49, 60, 53, 51%.
Visibility was excellent at 24 km. At 1:45 PM MDT there was a persistent
drizzle, so I ended the watch.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See
https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first Swainson's Hawk was an adult at 10:28 AM MDT seen over the
Western Ridge, but it needed my scope to identify it as to age, as with 4
other SW. While following an SW, it overtook another one which had a
molting left outer primary, so I got two for the price of one. While I was
looking at a distant raptor to the NW over Lookout Mountain 4 miles away
(it was a TV flying North) I saw another raptor in the field of view of my
scope which was an SW gliding rapidly South - lucky. We had 4 SW that we
could not age, even with a 20-60x scope.
Non-raptor Observations:
I got to the watch late as there was a truck on I-70 just beyond the exit
for Rte. 93 which had spilled hazardous material in the westbound lane, so
the highway was closed. It took me one hour 15 minutes to travel the 1.3
miles from the entrance to Rte 470 to my exit, it having taken me 1 hour 45
minutes from home where normally takes it between 30 and 45 minutes. We had
a great look from the watch, where we saw 6 men with hazardous suits
spraying some foamy stuff on the road. It took till 12:30 PM until the
eastbound lanes were open, and when I left the westbound lanes were still
closed.
White-breasted Nuthatch interior subspecies heard, Northern Flicker heard,
Violet-green Swallow 8, Common Raven 3.
Predictions:
Light winds starting from the north at 9:00 AM changing to NE, With only
46% cloud cover increasing in the afternoon, with the usual chance of rain
and thunderstorms by 11:00 AM, likely risk by 3:00 PM.
========================================================================
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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