Date: 8/12/26 5:42 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [cobirds] Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park (12 Aug 2026) 2 Raptors
Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park
Golden, Greater Denver, Colorado, USA
This is a new raptor migration site identified and designated in mid-September 2024. This is Colorado's 1st fall hawk watch site, and the second hawk watch in Colorado.
To get to the site which is along Lookout Mountain Rd. in Golden, enter either Windy Saddle Park or Mount Zion into Google Maps on your favorite navigation app, or enter the coordinates 39.7368,-105.2454. From the parking lot ascend the stone steps to the watch site.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO THE HAWK WATCH TO ENJOY THE SPECTACLE OF RAPTOR MIGRATION, EVEN IF YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IDENTIFYING RAPTORS IN FLIGHT. We will help you to learn Raptor ID.
See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk
Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 12, 2026
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 11:00:00
Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: Ajit Antony
Observers:
Weather:
Smoke still blanketed Denver. At the watch the winds were from the ENE
caused by local factors related to Denver, though the winds aloft (using
the earth.nullschool.net app)
at 700 hPa corresponding to an elevation of 10,000 ft above sea level at
which level raptors could be flying- the watch is at 7062 ft MSL - showed
the winds coming directly from the north, an infrequent wind in fall
according to my meteorology mentor in Denver, Bryan Guarante, and which
usually brings rain and thunderstorms. On the other hand the clouds were
moving towards the NNE, and checking the app at 500 hPa corresponding to an
elevation of 6,500 to 23,000 ft AGL the predicted winds were from the WSW
to ENE which is pretty close. Good altocumulus cloud cover 30-45-75%, and
in the last 30 minutes dark clouds were moving in from the West with
distant thunder which came closer. I checked the My Lightning app and there
were lightning strikes 11.5 mi away near Floyd Hill to the West. With the
winds I thought the strikes made pass north of the watch, but there were
other lightning strikes reported SW of the watch which would bring them
directly over the watch, so I left. 10 minutes later when I checked, there
were lightning strikes only 5 miles from the watch!
Raptor Observations:
Yay! While watching a local male AK chasing a local CH I had our first
migrant Swainson's Hawk at 11:38 a.m. DST, directly overhead, visible to
the unaided eye, confirmed with my spotting scope to be an adult. Most
Swainson's Hawk being plains birds migrate along a broad front through the
plains of Montana, Wyoming and Eastern Colorado and only a minority
presumably use the ridges of the foothills of the Rockies.
https://explorer.audubon.org/explore/species/945/swainson-hawk/migration?sidebar=collapse&<zoom...>&<x...>&<y...>&<range...>%2C0.8404 A CH migrating at 10:20 a.m. DST.
Non-migrant Raptors: 4 RT at 10:14 a.m. DST, TV 5.
Non-raptor Observations:
Rock Wren 1, MOBL 1, CORA 3 with two of them at one point chasing an adult
TV.
A single paraglider at 10:56 a.m. who had good lift, so should the raptors
using this area.
Predictions:
A slight chance of showers before noon, then a chance of showers and
thunderstorms between noon and 3pm, then showers and possibly a
thunderstorm after 3pm. High near 80. Light and variable wind becoming
north 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
I have a mid-morning meeting every Thursday, and had thought of coming
after that except for the showers and thunderstorms by noon, so I will not
likely watch tomorrow.
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Report submitted by Ajit Antony (<aiantony...>)
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