Ten raptors in five minutes and other early Spring notes

Ten raptors, five species in less than five minutes: Sunday, March 23 was a little breezy and when we went outside to walk the dogs, I immediately spied a soaring raptor that didn’t appear to be an RT; upon closer look (of course no binocs, otherwise it wouldn’t have been there) I am pretty sure from the winds and flight that it was my first osprey of the year (if it was for a “lifer”, I am not sure I could count it).  Seconds after the probable Osprey cruised away toward Waneka (another clue leaning to the fisherbird) a RT seemingly followed him with the wind.  As we walked down the trail an accipiter, most likely one of the local Cooper’s Hawks, whizzed overhead going from south to north. As that disappeared into the trees of my development, I looked back south to see the resident male Kestrel hovering over the field.  Above and beyond him were three raptors soaring high in the sky and then a fourth, much closer and lower flew into the view.  As I scanned the high skies there was an eagle soaring way above it all.  We continued east towards another RT.  As that one flew off on the wind, it calmed a bit and the sky was clear except for a few crows and LBJs; I didn’t see another raptor the rest of walk.

The next morning, the first official day of Spring Break, I took the dogs on an extra-long walk out to check out how the Red-tailed nest was doing.  I had definitely seen them working on it a few weeks ago and it was quite built up and visible, although I hadn’t specifically noticed one near it since.  As I approached, there appeared to be a head sticking out of the nest, but it was still obscured with branches.  So I kept going to get a better view.  When I got a little closer and focused the binoculars I chuckled out loud at the sight of two pointy ears and a Great Horned Owl sitting on the nest instead of the smaller Red-tailed Hawk head I was expecting.  This solved one mystery, as I had been wondering where the GHOs were nesting, since many of us had seen and heard them frequently in the area; however, now I have no idea where that RT pair has chosen to nest.  There are a few nests I am aware of closer to Erie and one off 95^th and Baseline, but I believe there has to be one closer to Rothman and home.

The first spring sightings are coming in.  In addition to my probable first Osprey of the season, the first report of a Colorado Turkey Vulture I am aware of was posted on Cobirders on March 23, flying over Colorado Springs. Burrowing Owls are starting to pop up on the Eastern prairie dog fields where they have been spotted in the past.  I also read that the open spaces northeast 75^th and Lookout have been closed, and I am assuming it is because of the possibility that the owls will return there as I know they were present three years ago (but I am not sure about the last two years). Next, it will be the Swainson’s Hawks returning.

My Dad and I are headed to the Dinosaur Ridge Hawkwatch tomorrow (Wednesday, March 26).  On decent weather days they had been getting over 20 migrating birds a day, plus around 10 local birds, including a Prairie Falcon that shows up daily.  However, poor weather days have only resulted in single digit birds.  As of now the unpredictable, ever-changing Colorado March weather is forecast to be cloudy but nice Wednesday (I have seen everything predicted from sunny and 70 to snowing).  Maybe I can spy that Ferruginous that has been eluding me this year, but my greatest hope would be get a lifer in a Broad-winged Hawk or a Northern Goshawk.