Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Emma Riley
Observers: Chip Dawes, Jim Lowe
Visitors:
*Our apologies in the delayed report email!*
Thank you to Chip Dawes for volunteering as a spotter today! It is always a
pleasure having you on the ridge. We also had a visit from Jim Lowe. Jim is
from Minnesota, and our counter Emma met him when she was working at Hawk
Ridge Bird Observatory in 2021. He spent the morning looking for migrants
with us and catching up! It's always great to see familiar faces on the
ridge.
Despite the nice weather, the trail was pretty empty. 9 people stopped by
the ridge today to check out the count board and ask a question or two.
Weather:
The rain finally lifted today, leaving clear blue skies behind it for most
of the day. The sun was strong and temperatures rised quickly. Some
precipitation could be seen W and SE of us late in the day, but we only
felt a few gusts of wind from the W in it all.
Raptor Observations:
We hoped to see a bigger push of migrants today after the storm but alas.
After having such a fantastic season it is proving difficult to accept the
end of it! We did have a few migrants, including a juvenile Swainson's Hawk
that came low overhead. An Osprey also came by W of us in the afternoon.
Local Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures continue to dominate the skies,
especially in the nicer weather. Birds were active from the moment we
arrived to the moment we left. Most birds were seen soaring or actively
hunting while kiting or from a perch. Four Coopers Hawks were all seen
circling around the Apex Houses before flying directly SW. Unusual (for
this site) CH activity continues!
Non-raptor Observations:
Passerine movement was also a bit slower than expected yesterday, but we
got started later than we would have liked to. We did have four sightings
of a Western Kingbird throughout the day, with all of four of them moving
N! One did perch in a nearby snag for a moment before continuing on. In the
last hour of the day we had group after group of White-throated Swifts fly
N directly overhead.
White-throated Swift 61, Broad-tailed Hummingbird 2, American White Pelican
8, Western Kingbird 4, Black-billed Magpie 2, Common Raven 1, Black-capped
Chickadee 1, Tree Swallow 14, Violet-green Swallow 34, Barn Swallow 1,
Cliff Swallow 10, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 3, American Robin 3, House Finch 2,
Spotted Towhee 3, Western Meadowlark 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
1, passerine sp. 1
Predictions:
Conditions look good for a small push of migrants if there are any left in
the area. Jeff Birek will be counting tomorrow! Jeff has worked as the
volunteer coordinator for Dinosaur Ridge when Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies was managing this site. He's an excellent hawk watcher and
biologist, so come say hi to him!
========================================================================
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,
American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. 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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