Dinosaur Ridge Colorado, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 12, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 6 6 Northern Harrier 0 0 0 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 0 0 Cooper's Hawk 0 2 2 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 1 30 30 Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1 Swainson's Hawk 0 1 1 Ferruginous Hawk 0 2 2 Golden Eagle 0 2 2 American Kestrel 0 1 1 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Prairie Falcon 0 5 5 Mississippi Kite 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 2 2 Unknown Buteo 1 2 2 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 2 56 56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Roger Rouch Observers: Bill Flowers, Bill Wuerthele, Kelli Groy Visitors: Three hikers stopped briefly. One of them talked for a short while about the program. Rob, the volunteer park patrol visited for about a half hour and is credited with sighting Rascal the Roadrunner. Weather: A cool morning quickly giving way to unseasonably warm temperatures. A mild breeze shifting direction during the day. Good visibility with just a few clouds. Raptor Observations: Only two migrating raptors, a red-tail and an unidentified buteo. Numerous local red-tail mostly over the west and Green Mountain ridges, including a dark morph. Seemingly more unique birds than two or three pairs being re-sighted? A local golden soaring near Mt. Morrison and also Cabrini. The local prairie missing secondaries or primaries near one wrist perched on the power pole just north of the site. Also, a local kestrel. Day's end featured a red-tail swooping down to snatch a mouse from the shrub and then consuming it in short order atop one of the power poles below and east of the site. Non-raptor Observations: Small numbers of bush-tit, robin, solitaire, scrub jay, magpie, chickadee, and raven. Twelve deer on a ridge near Cabrini. About 13:00 (MST) the Dino Ridge roadrunner was sighted about 10 yards west of the site. He/she jetted south onto the hiking trail giving everyone a good viewing. Predictions: With little change in the weather predicted, few migrating raptors, but good entertainment watching local raptor behavior and other wildlife. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (jeff.bi...@rmbo.org) Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.org/ Site Description: Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome. The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the first week of 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 small signs from the south side of lot to hawkwatch 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, head through the gate, and walk to the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
