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IV. B.2 Movement Tracking <br />Each crane group will be continuously tracked from the roost in early morning until arriving <br />back at roost in the evening, or until the crane group leaves the study area, or until the crane <br />group is lost by the ground crew. Cranes will be observed at a distance and from vehicles to <br />document movements. Each ground location used by the group and the times of occupation will <br />be identified and recorded. The locations and movements of the cranes will be marked on maps <br />or aerial photos. National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS) land cover /land use <br />classifications for the sites used by each crane group and the surrounding area will be verified by <br />the field tracking crew. Information on weather conditions will be recorded. <br />Physical and geomorphological characteristics of crane use locations will be described and <br />measured per Section IV.B.4., Use Site Characteristics. Crews will strictly adhere to guidelines <br />regarding minimization or elimination of crane disturbance, provided by the FWS, while <br />conducting the monitoring. <br />IV.B.3. Activity Monitoring <br />The activities of crane groups will be monitored during daylight hours in the course of <br />movement tracking. Movements between use sites will be recorded to the minute. The field <br />crew will begin by recording the activity of each crane within a crane group (e.g., preening, <br />feeding, loafing) when first observed. As the observer watches the crane group, he /she will <br />record each activity conducted by the cranes. After the crane group departs each location the <br />observer will estimate what activity was most frequent and the percent time spent conducting <br />that activity. Because a crew will be continuously monitoring crane movements, it is possible <br />that this monitoring can be conducted with little additional effort. The information gained may <br />help interpret crane use at individual sites. Crews will strictly adhere to guidelines regarding <br />minimization or elimination of crane disturbance, provided by the FWS, while conducting the <br />monitoring. Data forms describing time budget information are contained in Section X. <br />The following information will also be included: 'crane group composition (single bird, family <br />group, or flock); group size; age estimation if possible (adult/juvenile); weather conditions; date; <br />habitat cover -type; and leg band color if present. <br />IV.B.4. Use -Site Characteristics <br />Physical and geomorphological characteristics of crane use locations will be described and <br />measured as soon as practicable after the cranes leave the study area. The Program Site Use <br />Data Form will be used for data collection at every use site, though not all measurements will be <br />applicable to each site (see Section X — DATA FORM CURENTLY BEING DRAFTED). <br />Descriptions of data to be collected will be refined during the pilot year and an attempt will be <br />made to remove subjective decisions from the data collection. In all instances, proper landowner <br />permission will be secured before Program personnel enter private property to conduct the <br />measurements. <br />Minimum data to be collected at each use site includes: water depths, distances to visual <br />obstructions greater than 1.5m, sediment type, active channel width if in a river, land cover class <br />according to the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS), general sketch of the area, <br />and photographs. Maps and aerial photos will be used to determine distances to disturbance <br />February 23, 2001 Draft — WC Monitoring Protocol 8 <br />