Vortex excitations have been detected at temperatures both below and above the critical temperature when investigating local magnetic fields on the surface of a Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ single crystal by means of an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) probe. A thin layer of a diphenyl picrylhydrazyl organic radical deposited on the crystal surface is used as the EPR probe. A narrow EPR signal makes it possible to detect weak distortions of the magnetic field appearing at T ≿ T_c. The analysis of the temperature dependences of the resonance field and the EPR linewidth is thebasis of the assumption of the vortex nature of magnetic excitations in this temperature range.