Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 11:15:00
Total observation time: 3.25 hours
Official Counter: Dustin Kohler
Observers: Cindi Inklebarger, Ed Forlong, Joyce Michael
Visitors:
We surprisingly had 9 visitors to the ridge today. I will never
underestimate the people of Colorado's willpower for running in bad
weather.
Thank you to my helpers today, even with their Denver Field Ornithology
field trip canceled, they still braved the elements to be up with me most
of the day.
Weather:
Today was pretty cold and snowy. When I first got up to the ridge we were
pretty socked in up there in the clouds. After a half hour or so the clouds
lifted slightly. I was snowed on just about the entire time, but visibility
was way better than I was expecting. Around 11 MST (12 MDT) the snow and
the wind picked up. With snow to continue the rest of the day I called the
count.
Raptor Observations:
All of our migrants were barely above eye level to the east of us. This was
where visibility was the best, and the wind could help them migrate.
We had a local kestrel that headed North along the west of us, turned
around at the break in the ridge where Highway 70 goes through, and started
hunting over Green Mountain.
We also had 2 local/ non-migratory Sharp-shinned Hawks. Both did the same
thing low on our east side, heading straight South, and heading to some
bigger juniper and pine trees assumably to wait out the storm.
Non-raptor Observations:
We had a migrating Great Blue Heron, at least it headed North with a
purpose and was the highest bird I saw all day.
Passerine activity overall was more active than the last couple of days. We
heard/ saw Western Meadowlarks, Mountain Bluebirds, Spotted Towhees,
Dark-eyed Juncos, Rock Wren, and a few others that I didn't write down and
have since forgotten.
Predictions:
From now until 9am tomorrow there will be 4-10 inches of snow at the site.
Afterwards looks to be about a 4 hour gap before mixed precipitation after
that. Tomorrow's count might be delayed and end early, but I'll try and get
up for the middle part unless the roads are bad tomorrow. I don't expect
much to migrate, but I didn't today either and still got 8 migrants in the
snow.
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Report submitted by Official Counter (<j.f.peters58...>)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at:
http://www.dfobirds.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 a Hawk
Counter and volunteers from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM from March 1st to May 10th,
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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