Date: 5/3/24 7:05 pm From: <reports...> Subject: [cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (03 May 2024) 37 Raptors
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: May 03, 2024
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:30:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Dustin Kohler
Observers: Bill Young, Chris Gearhart, Sammy Korengut ,
Shannon Campbell, Steve Ryder
Visitors:
We had 37 visitors to the ridge today including Piper Vance who came up
with her family and said "There's one!" She spotted one of our Cooper's
Hawks that migrated today.
Weather:
Today was an overall sunny day that got more overcast as the day went on.
Warm temperatures and a steady, moderately strong wind were good conditions
for our migrants. The wind then began shifting from the west and eventually
the north and increased its gusts to over 25 mph consistently which caused
us to cut the count short.
There was a consistent haze that made distant migrants even harder to find
and follow.
Raptor Observations:
The migrants were in all directions but were mostly straight above us and
very high. The migrants started low for the first hour but rose higher and
higher as the day and the wind increased.
Our first three Broadwings left one after the other in a line, but we
didn't see the kettle that they left from. A later Broadwing we hear
vocalizing at another one above it.
We had a Cooper's Hawk aggressively defend itself from a local Red-tail
that moved up to escort them north. Another Cooper's Hawk that migrated was
missing 2 secondaries on their right wing. A different Cooper's was
attacked by a migrating kestrel as it left town.
As the wind increased our migrants got even higher up and were traveling a
lot faster until the wind switched to the west.
We had a kettle of 6 Turkey Vultures that went north for a few miles before
turning around and going back south. Much later we also had a Swainson's
Hawk go to the South.
We had an immature Peregrine Falcon fly south at eye level. One of our
other local Falcons was a Merlin that attacked a Red-tail on its way
south.
We had a Golden Eagle hunting to the west, and a Cooper's Hawk had a talon
full of grass, and a mouse, as it flew off towards where its nest is
located.
During the heavier winds, I heard a squeaking sound. I looked over and saw
a mouse screaming in terror as a male Kestrel had caught it and was flying
south with it.
Non-raptor Observations:
We had a lot of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds zip past us in the wind, they
were more heard than seen. There were also plenty of Swallows and
White-throated Swifts playing in the wind as well. However, once the wind
got above 20 mph the Swallows and Swifts must have gone to ground because
we were not seeing them.
We saw another Western Kingbird this morning and some Common Grackles.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers also continue to remind us that they are back in
town, challenging the Spotted Towhees and the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay for the
loudest birds at the ridge.
Predictions:
Tomorrow looks to be a moderately warm day with a steady eastern wind. The
clouds look to cover more and more of the sky as the day goes on for the
third day in a row. There is some rain in the evening that might give our
migrants some incentive to leave a little earlier in the day.
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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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