2023-10-03_REVISION - M1977344 (26)

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Tech Memo Subject 9 DRAFT for review purposes only. Use of contents on this sheet is subject to the limitations specified at the beginning of thi s document. Red Creek Quarry_WildlifeReport 20230907 As of this report, there are no black-tailed prairie dogs, burrowing owls or black-footed ferrets within the Min- ing Permit and Affected Area Boundary. 4.2.8 Mountain plover The mountain plover nests in flat, dry landscapes characterized by very short, sparse vegetation (preferably less than 3 in), with at least 30% bare ground and a slope less than 5 degrees (less than 2 degrees optimal). A conspicuous object (e.g., manure pile, clump of vegetation, rock) is usually found near nest sites. In Colo- rado, the mountain plover is commonly associated with heavily grazed blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) or buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) on the eastern plains. The mountain plover is strongly associated with black-tailed prairie dog towns in some parts of its breeding range. The mountain plover feeds almost exclu- sively on invertebrates. Grasshoppers and beetles have been reported as the most common prey. According to the online Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird map (https://ebird.org/map), the most recent sight- ing of a mountain plovers near the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary was in 2014. Older sightings range from 1975 to 2010. The habitat within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary could potentially support mountain plovers, particularly in the vicinity of the known black-tailed prairie dogs if mountain plovers nest away from the colo- nies. Mountain plovers, while listed as a State species of special concern, are not afforded any legal protec- tion beyond requiring a permit to capture or handle. 4.2.9 Colorado checkered whiptail The native range of the Colorado checkered whiptail is restricted to the Arkansas River drainage of south- eastern Colorado. Colorado checkered whiptails occupy a native range restricted to the Arkansas River drain- age and its tributaries in southeastern Colorado. Occupied habitat includes canyons, the vicinity of hillsides, rivers, arroyos, and creeks, as well as heavily altered habitats with slopes. This lizard often is encountered in areas of Ponderosa pine, Gambel’s oak, pinyon-juniper woodland, and shrublands and grasslands with rab- bitbrush, cholla, and yucca. Colorado Checkered Whiptails forage opportunistically, and the most common food items for adults are grasshoppers and termites, while spiders and leafhoppers were the primary food items for young lizards. Within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary there are areas of habitat suitable for Colorado check- ered whiptails but a large percentage of the habitat in the area is not their preferred habitat. Colorado check- ered whiptails are a State species of special concern and are not afforded any legal protection beyond re- quiring a permit to capture or handle.