Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Dustin Kohler
Observers: Bill Young, Mike Serruto, Nancy Cornick, Ryan Gannon,
Shannon Campbell, Shay Lyons
Visitors:
We had 22 visitors to the ridge today which is not too bad for a Monday.
Weather:
Today was a warm partly cloudy day with a constantly changing wind. Once
the wind picked up the migrants dropped.
Raptor Observations:
Our migrants continued to behave in classic dinosaur ridge fashion, either
super close to our heads or very far away. Generally, they dropped as the
wind picked up in the evening.
Three Broadwings were in a loose kettle. An immature Red-tailed had
see-through or missing middle rectrices (tail feathers).
Another Red-tailed hawk was attacking a Golden Eagle today, but this Golden
Eagle was a local and moved off to the west.
We had a Cooper's Hawk flying with a full crop and was carrying a mouse in
its talons. This hawk did not migrate and flew off to the west probably
where their mate was on eggs.
We had a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly south through or slightly around the
central tree on our platform between me and some of my volunteers.
We had another local Sharp-shin, a Swainson's, a Cooper's, a hunting
Kestrel, an osprey, and a Golden Eagle.
Non-raptor Observations:
We saw a man walking 4 llamas on a leash along the side of the road.
When I first got up to the ridge there were three Rock Wrens singing
nearby. Around 13:30 MST we saw a Rock Wren holding a stick in its beak and
is hopefully making a nest in the Northwest corner of our platform.
There were also a lot of White-throated Swifts and Swallows flying around
today. A few Broad-tailed Hummingbirds were flying past as well.
Predictions:
Tomorrow should be a warm day and very sunny. The wind should start in the
south and move to the west. I expect migrants to be very high and moving
pretty fast.
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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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