Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Ajit Antony
Observers: Liza Antony
Visitors:
When we got to the watch we were surprised to find 2 young men already
there, one with binoculars named Caoimhin (pronounced Keevan) Perkins, who
wanted to see a Golden Eagle and a Ferruginous Hawk, with his friend Abhi
Kumar. CP has been seriously birding since November, and had made a list of
30 birds he wanted to see. He had the Merlin app. I introduced him to the
Raptor App, the COBirds listserv, DFO.org and the field trips available,
and Hawkcount.org.
I was able to show the 2 of them an osprey through my scope, as well as to
a young woman passing by.
Weather:
The surface forecast was for winds from the NW>N>NE, cloud cover starting
at 81% and dropping to about 40%. earth.nullschool.net had a prediction of
winds aloft at 33 km/hr from the NW. The soaring forecast was good, with
lift at 3.1 m/sec, and predicted maximum height of thermals 7525 feet above
ground level. At the watch the winds were as predicted, temperature 18-29
C, humidity 38>15%, clear visibility 24 km.
Raptor Observations:
Exploratory fall hawk count 2025.
See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk The first migrant was an OS at 10:00 AM MDT initially found to the SW, and
slowly rose up in thermals progressively going south, took a long time for
us to decide it was a migrant. A migrant adult GE at 1:29 PM. We had a good
number of hawks today, but all of them were extremely distant and very
high, over the western ridge and Mount Morrison. At noon, Liza was pointing
out the moon, and when I looked with binoculars, I found a raptor over the
western ridge. When we kept looking at the channel it had flown in, which
was two binocular fields above Mount Morrison, we found a number of raptors
there in this and the next two hours. Many of them were only dots seen with
binoculars, and some could be identified further with a scope.
Non migrant raptors: adult GE at 1:25 PM, AK male, RT2, TV 9.
Since I had Liza to help and who faced west, I sat south of the watch where
I could see both east as well as west, and as usual there were no migrants
to the east.
Non-raptor Observations:
White-throated Swift Violet-green Swallow 4, Common Raven 4, Northern
Flicker 2.
Predictions:
WSW>SE winds with gusts to 16 mph, very little cloud cover to begin with,
increasing to 37% at 3:00 PM MDT. I will probably observe during the
morning hours.
========================================================================
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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