Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Soren Zappia
Observers:
Visitors: 8 visitors. We also had a school group come today for their birding intensive class! It was great to have some young birders up here - one student was excited to see their lifer Broad-winged Hawk! Thank you to Janet Peters for leading this group and sharing her knowledge on hawkwatching.
Thank you also to Leslie Dixon for volunteering today!
Weather: We had another beautiful day today with light winds from the east, mostly southeast, throughout the day. Temperatures were pleasant in the 50s to low 70s F.
Cloud cover was minimal overhead but there were many clouds low to medium high on the west. During the early afternoon a thin cloud layer was also present to the south.
Raptor Observations: It was a good day for variety today with 9 raptor species counted of 18 total birds. In the morning, an Osprey flew distantly on the west and an intermediate morph Red-tailed Hawk flew overhead. We also saw an adult Broad-winged Hawk gaining height on Mt. Morrison before streaming past. A few Turkey Vultures came by overhead in the morning as well, due north until they continued out of sight.
The middle of the day was quiet, but then activity picked back up in the afternoon. After it picked back up, almost all birds were distant to the west, and we saw a few accipitrines, with about equal numbers of Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks. We also saw a few Swainson's Hawks and a Peregrine Falcon. Many of the afternoon's birds were at the limit of our binoculars. Our final bird of the day was an American Kestrel.
We also saw good passerine movement including five Western Tanagers (pair and group of three), two Western Kingbirds, and fifteen Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Non-raptor Observations: White-throated Swift 1, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 2, Mourning Dove 3, American White Pelican 22, Northern Flicker 1, Western Kingbird 3, Blue Jay 3, Black-billed Magpie 2, Common Raven 4, Tree Swallow 1, Violet-green Swallow 12, Barn Swallow 1, Rock Wren 1, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 2, House Finch 2, Pine Siskin 2, Spotted Towhee 2, Western Meadowlark 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 5, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 9, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1, Western Tanager 5, Lazuli Bunting 1, warbler sp. 2
Predictions: Tomorrow, expect sunny to partly cloudy skies and moderate winds from the NW. Temperatures should be in the mid 60s to low 70s F.
The trail was dry on our descent today and should remain dry tomorrow. ======================================================================== 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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