Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley
Observers:
Visitors: We had a total of 12 visitors on the ridge today, including a few who stayed for 30 minutes to over an hour to see migrants!
Thanks to Clay Gibson and Mike Serruto for their continued support and company on Mondays.
Weather: Temperatures were in the high 20s Celsius all day with scattered clouds. Weather was overall pleasant for most of the day short of a few strong wind gusts. Winds were highly variable in direction and speed, from E winds that could barely be felt, to N and SW winds that came with some good gusts. Barometric pressure dropped quicker than normal throughout the day today.
Raptor Observations: Migration was heavily stunted today for whatever reason. The winds? Maybe. A few accipitrines, Red-tailed Hawks, and Turkey Vultures made up our count today. There was no clear line that these birds were taking.
The local Turkey Vultures have officially moved in. First thing today we had a group of 10 kettle over Green Mountain, move W to the Dakota Hogback, move NW to near Mother Cabrini, and head SW. Classic. We also had a dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk fly perfectly N before getting mobbed by a local RT, making that bird tuck tail and go S again. Weird movements today.
Passerine and non-raptor activity was also very still today!
Non-raptor Observations: American White Pelican 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 3, Black-capped Chickadee 1, American Bushtit 2, Spotted Towhee 2, Western Meadowlark 1
Predictions: Temperatures drop tomorrow and winds shift E. I'm hoping for a bit more of a push tomorrow before possible precipitation on Wednesday. ======================================================================== 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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