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<br />While the area is a migration route for waterfowl using the Purgatoire <br />River as a part of their flight route between the San Luis Valley and <br />the Arkansas Valley, few flights stop. An estimated 2,000 ducks utilize <br />Las Animas County. Very few geese are to be found. <br /> <br />The Raton area was historically a good nesting area for raptors, <br /> <br />and a variety of these birds are present in the general area. However, <br /> <br />the frequency of occurrence, abundance, seasonal status, or the role <br /> <br />of a species in the area (i.e. migrant, breeder, winter resident, or <br /> <br />vagrant) can be only speculative, since information in these areas <br /> <br />is severely lacking. There are three species of falcons that could <br /> <br />possibly frequent the area. These are: the prairie falcon (~ <br />mexicanus), the peregrine falcon (Falco pere~rinus), and the pigeon <br /> <br /> <br />hawk or merlin (~columbarius). The status of these falcons is <br /> <br /> <br />respectively rare, endangered, and undetermined. Both the prairie <br /> <br /> <br />falcon and peregrine falcon could be local residents, although the <br />merlin is probably only present during migration. Within the immediate <br />project area numbers of wildlife are small, past and present urbaniza- <br />tion and agricultural and mining activities being the principal habitat - <br />limiting factors. <br />c. Aquatic habitat and communities. The kinds and <br />numbers of aquatic life to be found along any particular stretch <br />of stream are due to a multitude of ecological factors, their inter- <br />relationships, and their cumulative effects. The most important of <br />these are current speed, temperature (including the effects of altitude <br />and season), the substratum, dissolved substances,. discharge, turbidity, <br /> <br />cover, and biotic factors. The small town of Weston, located about 20 <br /> <br />11-22 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.. <br />