Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley
Observers:
Visitors: We started the day with a group of 7 women visiting the ridge from the local area. A few more visitors, including Jim Esten with DFO, stopped by throughout the day making the visitor count 13.
Thanks to Clay Gibson and Mike Serruto for your help spotting birds today!
Weather: Today was another extremely pleasant day after a long week of high winds and extreme temperatures. Clouds were scattered all day before becoming denser and heavier in the late afternoon. Winds varied in direction and reached speeds equivalent to a moderate breeze, according to the Beaufort scale. Humidity was in the 40-50% range, a great relief from the already extreme dryness we have experienced this season.
Raptor Observations: Migration was slower today than yesterday with American Kestrels being seen more than any other species. Birds took a W/overhead route today and got incredibly high in the mid-afternoon. Most of our migrants came in the first half of the day, with the afternoon being void of movement at times.
We continue to see one Turkey Vulture moving around the area but not going N. Red-tailed Hawks continue to be seen across the landscape throughout the day. We have noticed a significant decline in Golden Eagle presence, making us wonder if they have settled into the nest and spending less energy on courting.
5 Wild Turkeys were seen right on the ridge today! That's one species we don't see much of around the hawk watch. We also had 3 Sandhill Cranes move incredibly high overhead.
Non-raptor Observations: Wild Turkey 5, White-throated Swift 3, Sandhill Crane 3, American White Pelican 7, Northern Flicker 3, Say's Phoebe 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 4, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Mountain Bluebird 3, Townsend's Solitaire 1, House Finch 2, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Spotted Towhee 2, Western Meadowlark 1
Predictions: Temperatures are predicted to be a little bit higher tomorrow with continued cloud cover. Winds are predicted to be variable in direction so it's hard to say what the flight will bring. ======================================================================== 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, and American White Pelican. 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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