Observation start time: 07:15:00
Observation end time: 10:30:00
Total observation time: 2.75 hours
Official Counter: Ajit Antony
Observers: Liza Antony
Visitors:
A hiker who couldn't find the trail down to the Stegosaurus parking lot,
having started from the south end of the Dakota Ridge Trail.
Weather:
Light winds at Level 2 from the West changing to East though the wind
prediction by nullschool.net at the level the raptors would fly at was
light from the West, temperatures 21-26°C, 5-20% cloud cover, visibility
down to 4 km secondary to smoke from wildfires in western Colorado.
Raptor Observations:
All migrating raptors were seen over the Western Ridge. The first migrating
raptor was an AK at 7:20 a.m. MST just before I got to the ridge. The bird
of the day was a Prairie Falcon at 7:32 a.m. found by Liza by its dark
axillars. At 9:21 a.m. an adult Swainson's Hawk was seen over the Cabrini
Shrine 1.9 miles to the NW, which needed my scope to ID and age it. The
other migrant at 10:10 a.m. was an immature RT.
Non-migrant Raptors: FH seen just west of the Apex homes when it dove into
the trees on Lookout Mountain and I could see its white tail; RT 3, one
diving on a TV; TV 6,
including 2 perched on the the 3 utility
poles just north of the watch; a presumed AK (by its size and white flash
of its underwings) dove twice on an adult RT just below the Western Ridge
1.25 mi away.
This is an exploratory fall count approved by the Project Lead - Emma Riley
after we had a reasonable fall migration, counting 576 migrant raptors in
2024 (averaging 9.1 raptors per hour) at the Mount Zion Hawk
Watch in Golden, 4 miles to the Northwest
from Dinosaur Ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2, Rock Wren 2, Lazuli Bunting 1, Green-tailed Towhee
1, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 1, Violet-green
Swallow 15, Black-capped Chickadee 2, Black-billed Magpie 1, Spotted Towhee
1, House Finch 2.
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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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