PERMFILE40373

• Permit No: C1996083
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 1/15/2002
• Doc Name: 1995 AND1996
• Section_Exhibit Name: Volume III Exhibit 09 Wildlife
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

•
Rapping of aerial survey routes was carried out on 15' topographic
maps and subsequently converted to larger scale project maps.
Ground study maps were also prepared in the field and converted to
project scale maps.
Agency interface was conducted through telephonic communication
with Jerry Craig of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, in Ft.
Collins, Colorado, and Terry Ireland of the U.S.Fish and Wildlife
Service, Office of Endangered Species in Grand Junction, Colorado.
RESULTS
Results of the aerial Survey for cliff nesting raptors, Golden and
Bald Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons were negative. No sightings of
cliff nests, or whitewash were observed within the study area.
Just to the north of the Study Area a single occupied Raven nest
could be seen, thu~ verifying that the aerial survey methods could
detect cliff nests .
Aerial methods for sighting wintering Bald Eagles and Southwestern
Willow Flycatcher Habitat proved useful. Again, no sightings of
Bald Eagles were made. However, several duck species were
observed, and could be identified by these methods, again verifying
• that the me~hod had good efficacy for sighting and identifying
larger birds .
Only one location, which provided an approximation of the habitat
requirements for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Figure 2.),
was observed along the three miles of riparian habitat identified
along the north shore of the North Fork of the Gunnison River.
This area was subsequently surveyed on foot in its entirety. No
evidence of flycatcher nests of any kind could be observed.
Several ground nests (probably Junco) were noted. Again, an
indication that th~s method had good efficacy for nest observation
and identification .
Regulatory interface with the Threatened and Endangered Species
Biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Mr. Jerry Craig,
indicated that wintering Bald Eagles have not been reported any
farther up the North Fork of The Gunnison than Paonia,
approximately five miles to the Southwest of the Study Area. No
Bald Eagle nesting locations exist any nearer than the Black Canyon
of the Gunnison. Peregrine Falcons have been reported in migration
as near as Anthracite Creek, Some 10 miles to the East. In
addition, the nearest confirmed nesting locations are also along
the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Rased upon the scope of our
current study, and data contained in their records, Mr. Craig felt
the proposed development would cause no impacts to the three
Raptor species identified.
The U.S. Fish and wildlife Service Avi~n Biologist in the Office of
Endangered Species, Mr. Terry Ireland, was contacted November 27,
1995 and concurred, in essence, with the lack of impacts of the
proposed developments on all of the named species including the