Observation start time: 05:00:00 Observation end time: 16:15:00 Total observation time: 9.92 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley, Soren Zappia, Soren Zappia, Emma Riley
Observers:
Visitors: We had three visitors to the hawk watch today. including regular visitor Ric Olson.
Thank you to Kathie Moses, Karrie Lagon, and Cayce and Chris Gulbransen for volunteering at the ridge today!
Weather: Temperatures continue to stay mild with high cloud cover and precipitation. Winds were from the E/NE today at low speeds, apart from a few gusts that came through during a precipitation event. A period of cold rain and hail blew through causing us to pause the count for an hour and 15 minutes during the afternoon. We ended up calling the count early due to further precipitation.
Raptor Observations: Migration continues to push through! Our first migrant of the day came through before 0600 MST during the morning flight count. Broad-winged Hawks began moving in the 0800 hour and continued throughout the day with the last one coming in the last hour. Osprey have had a great presence lately with birds coming directly overhead as well as over the W ridge. Most of our migrants came W of us today, which is typical in an E wind. An Osprey was seen on the hike out.
Soren monitored the morning flight this morning starting at 0500 MST. Highlights included Brown-headed Cowbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Yellow-rumped Warbers, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Cliff Swallow. We are hoping to get a few more morning flight counts in before the end of the season.
Non-raptor Observations: Canada Goose 1, goose sp. 1, White-throated Swift 17, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 4, Mourning Dove 1, Double-crested Cormorant 17, American White Pelican 5, Northern Flicker 1, Say's Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 1, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay 4, Black-billed Magpie 1, American Crow 1, Common Raven 8, Black-capped Chickadee 1, Violet-green Swallow 6, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, Cliff Swallow 2, swalow sp. 2, American Bushtit 2, Rock Wren 1, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 1, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, American Robin 1, House Finch 2, American Goldfinch 4, Pine Siskin 1, Chipping Sparrow 19, Spotted Towhee 3, Western Meadowlark 2, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Brown-headed Cowbird 6, Brewer's Blackbird 4, blackbird sp. 3, Common Grackle 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 13, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 14, passerine sp. 2
Predictions: Precipitation is predicted for most, if not all, of tomorrow. If visibility is low, we will cancel the day. ======================================================================== 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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