Winter Raptor Survey at White Rocks

As part of the Boulder County Audubon Teen Naturalists program, sixteen participants (9 students and 7 adults) conducted a wintering raptor survey along the White Rocks Trail on the morning of Saturday, November 12. In all the group saw and mapped the perching locations of 5 Bald Eagles, 2 woodland hawks (Cooper’s Hawks), and 7 Red-tailed Hawks.

Red-tailed Hawk in front of South Arapahoe Peak. Photo by Raelen Smidgall.

Highlights included observations of Virginia Rail, hybrid mule/white-tailed deer, and mink. The mink ambled up to within 2 feet of one of our trip participants. They also saw and photographed a Great Blue Heron perched very close to the trail.

Great Blue Heron. Photo by Raelen Smidgall.