Weather:
Winds continue to blow strongly across the front range, leading us to
having a delayed start and an early end to the count. Winds blew so hard
overnight into the morning that a metal cord holding our sign up was
snapped! Cloud cover was heavy all afternoon but the ceiling was still very
high. Winds picked back up to high speeds in the 1500 hour, leading us to
end the count early at 1600 MST.
Raptor Observations:
I arrived at the count site at 1300 MST and immediately found migrating
raptors. All of the migrants, minus the AK, took an extremely high west
line. The AG was spotted high with a RT and quickly moved on.
Local RT were seen in the early afternoon, but once the winds picked back
up all birds seemed to disappear.
Non-raptor Observations:
Passerines were extremely quiet today, but we did have a male and female
Mountain Bluebird perch on a snag just south of the count platform. We have
been seeing these birds migrate through but rarely get such great looks at
them.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks like it could be a great day for migration with scattered
clouds, winds from the NE, and lower wind speeds than today.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Official Counter (<j.f.peters58...>)
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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