Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Dustin Kohler
Observers: Dave Erickson, Gary Rossmiller, Janet Peters,
Josephine Tongestad, June Peters , Marianne Erickson,
Mike Hunter, Steve Ryder , Trenton Voytko
Visitors:
We had 20 visitors to the ridge today including Mike Hunter who was
visiting from England and saw his 7,000th bird which was an American
Goshawk.
We also had 2 visitors from Belgium.
Weather:
Today started as a warm cloudless day, and turned into a thunderstorm. The
wind was out of the East/ Northeast all day. There was a heavy haze all day
that affected our distant visibility.
Count was cut short due to lightning risk. I was going to wait it out, but
with only a few hours left it started to rain/ sleet/ hail and I canceled
the rest of the count.
Raptor Observations:
Today was our best day of the year, so far with 128 migrants! They started
very high and/or far to the west. About 11:45 MST the wind picked up and
the migrants got lower and lower as the day went on.
The Unknown Falcon was probably a kestrel, but I never saw it and it just
zipped under a volunteer on the far side of the ridge from me.
The Unknown Accipiter was far away, the tail was long, but it didn't flap
and was too far away to guess Cooper's vs Sharp-shinned.
In local news, we had a few Red-tailed Hawks, two Osprey, a local Golden
Eagle, 2 local Swainson's Hawk one was a Juvenile, an immature American
Goshawk, but the coolest was a leucistic Red-tailed that showed up many
times.
Non-raptor Observations:
We had my first to the ridge Blue Jay, and our first of the year, Blue-grey
Gnatcatchers.
The strong winds had a lot of White-throated Swifts and three species of
Swallows. Tree, Violet-green, and Barn.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks to start partly cloudy with strong western winds, and change
to thunderstorms in the afternoon.
A partial count is likely.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Official Counter (<j.f.peters58...>)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at:
http://www.dfobirds.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,
American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any skill level are
always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a Hawk
Counter and volunteers from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM from March 1st to May 10th,
weather permitting.
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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