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• INTRODUCTION <br />Peabody Western Coal Company (Peabody) currently operates two <br />surface coal mines in Routt County Colorado: Seneca II and Seneca II- <br />W. In anticipation of possibly developing a third mine in the area, <br />Peabody has been conducting baseline environmental studies at a site <br />referred to as the "toast" property. In 1993, Peabody contracted <br />Powder River Eagle Studies Inc. (PRES) to collect wildlife baseline <br />data at toast. <br />The objectives of the investigations were to collect both quali- <br />tative and quantitative data on species occurrence, abundance, and <br />habitat affinity in the toast area. Prior to initiating field sur- <br />veys, representatives of Peabody, PRES, Colorado Division of Wildlife <br />(CROW), and Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology met in Denver <br />• (September 1992) and at toast (October 1992) to discuss the scope of <br />investigations. From those meetings is was agreed that surveys for <br />big game, upland game birds, passerine birds, raptors, small mammals, <br />and threatened and endangered species would be completed. <br />The toast study area is described below. Survey methods and <br />results are presented by animal group. Descriptions of habitats in <br />the area, and their extent, are also presented. All locations given <br />are in T5N, R87W, unless othe n+ise specified. <br />STUDY AREA <br />Peabody's toast property is approximately 8 miles southeast of <br />Hayden, Routt County, Colorado. The proposed permit area is in the <br />brushy foothills of the Williams Fork Mountains, south of the Yampa <br />• River. Elevations on the area range from 6,800 feet to over 7,900 <br />1 <br />