Two dozen eager birders set out Saturday, Jan. 16, for the Winter Raptors on the Prairie hawk-watching trip. This trip, led by RMBO biologists Jeff Birek and Chris White, was an introduction to HawkWatch and offered attendees the opportunity to learn the basics of raptor identification. Jeff also gave tips about spotting raptors, described the differences in flight patterns, and entertained the group with his wing-motion demonstrations. The trip gave attendees a taste of the hawk-watching experience and raised interest for HawkWatch this spring.
HawkWatch is a citizen science program in which volunteers monitor migrating raptors over the Dakota Hogback of Dinosaur Ridge from mid-March through mid-May. The data collected by these volunteers goes into a national database and contributes to the knowledge of raptor migration routes and populations. RMBO is still looking for people to volunteer through HawkWatch. For more information, please contact Amy Rotter at 303-659-4348, ext. 11, or by e-mail at amy.rotter@rmbo.org
Adult Ferruginous Hawk photo by James Green
Here is a list of raptor species we saw:
Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Bald Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon.
Other bird species:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Ring-necked Pheasant, California Gull, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Common Raven, Northern Shrike, Horned Lark, Mountain Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, House Sparrow.
Join birder, photographer and author Paul Bannick on Monday, March 15, for a fascinating look at the diversity of these two families of birds, and the ways in which they define and enrich the ecosystems they inhabit. Bannick spent thousands of hours in the field, observing and photographing these species. His book, “The Owl and The Woodpecker: Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds,” published in 2008, provides a comprehensive look at all 41 owl and woodpecker species in North America and the ways in which their life histories are intertwined.
