Observation start time: 07:45:00
Observation end time: 12:30:00
Total observation time: 4.75 hours
Official Counter: Ajit Antony
Observers: Karolyn Chan, Liza Antony
Visitors:
Karolyn Chan helped us for two hours. A woman overheard us talking to
Karolyn about migration and she wanted to know whether the raptors were
migrating along I-70. I explained hat they were flying south for the
winter, and told her that SW fly as far south as Argentina. She wanted to
know how far North they come from, and I showed her the range map on the
Merlin app. I also showed her two distant TV through my scope, not visible
to the naked eye, which she appreciated.
Weather:
The prediction today was for light winds from the NE with cloud cover
beginning at 55%, however at the watch there was 95% cloud cover which
gradually dropped to 60%. Humidity was 46 to 66%. Temperature between 23
and 17 degrees Celsius, visibility was initially reduced to 15 km but later
rose to 24 km.
Earth.nullschool.net predicted 18 km/hr winds aloft at the level raptors
would fly, coming down from the NW.
10 minutes before the end of the second hour in 15 minutes after the hour
there was a drizzle which cleared up.
Between 11:47 AM and 12:10 PM my My Lightning app showed 5 lighting strikes
at Idaho Springs 19 miles to the West. At 1:30 PM there was repeated
thunder heard with rain coming down to the West, so we decided to end the
watch.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall count 2025. See
https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant at 9:36 AM MDT was a Prairie Falcon that flew a slightly
below eye level in the valley to the West, going South. It had a uniformly
sandy upperwing and tail, and I was surprised to be able to see the dark
armpits as it was flying at eye level away from me! Then there was a lull
for an hour and a half, and we were wondering whether the raptors were
drenched by the rain last night and would take a while for them to dry out
in order to be able to fly, but an SW did show up then over the western
ridge, where we found all of the raptors, the last 4 being high, over 2
binocular fields over the ridge. There was a small kettle of 3 SW at 1:04
p.m., and the SW before that had a molting primary indicating an adult.
Non migrating Raptors RT 5, TV 9.
Non-raptor Observations:
Violet-green Swallow 6, House Finch 1, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 4, Common
Raven 1, Downy Woodpecker 1. Karolyn had her Merlin Bird ID on, and it
identified Red Crossbill flying overhead!
Predictions:
Sunny, with a high near 77 degrees Fahrenheit, light winds from the NNW at
9:00 AM, changing to NNE the next hour, thereafter NE, with minimal cloud
cover, and for the first time in weeks, no prediction of afternoon
thunderstorms. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of the DCVZ, the
cause of daily afternoon thunderstorms in Denver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_Convergence_Vorticity_Zone ========================================================================
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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