Laserfiche WebLink
Water Fowl and Other Birds <br />• <br />Water fowl are limited to the North Fork of the Gunnison River and the <br />east and dry forks of Minnesota Creek. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) <br />would be the primary breeding species, while the Common Goldeneye <br />(Bucephala clangula) would be the major winter user of the Gunnison <br />River. <br />Over 50 species of songbirds are likely to occur over the tract. The <br />aspen and riparian type habitats contain a great variety of birdlife. <br />Sumner populations are greater than winter, with the Robin and Dark-eyed <br />Junco the most common winter residents, and the Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, <br />Yellow Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, and the Rufous-sided Towhee are the <br />most abundant summer residents. <br />Amphibians and Reptiles <br />• The number and abundance of amphibians and reptiles are relatively low <br />on the permit and adjacent areas. Few cold-blooded species can survive <br />at the elevation and in the climate of the permit area. The sagebrush <br />Lizard and the Eastern Fence Lizard are the most common reptiles. The <br />Gopher Snake and the Wandering Garter Snake are also expected to occur. <br />The only amphibian that has been found is the Chorus Frog along Dry and <br />East Forks of Minnesota Creek. <br />Aquatic Biology <br />The permit area lies along the North Fork of the Gunnison River near <br />Somerset. The boundary of the extension of the permit area for the Bear <br />No. 3 facilities fronts on the south bank of the river for only about <br />one-half mile. <br />Surveys assessing the condition of aquatic environment, as indicated by <br />microinvertebrate population, show the section of the stream above <br />• Somerset is in good condition. Both numbers and species of aquatic <br />organisms indicate an unstressed environment. Less than one mile below <br />2.04-49 <br />