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drilling rigs, vegetation sampling, and this observer's <br />presence. This rapid adaptation, however, should be <br />tempered by the crane's apparent fidelity to the areas <br />outlined on the enclosed map. When human activity was <br />static, for example, the drilling rig, the cranes in F were <br />silent. When the farmer, the vegetation crew, and this <br />observer were active, that is, in motion, the cranes <br />vocalized frequently although they did not flush and fly to <br />another location. <br />The effects of mine construction, if concentrated in a <br />crane's territory would likely force said cranes into <br />another pair's territory or lead to abandonment of the area. <br />This conclusion is speculative in that the cranes may avoid <br />construction during the first year but return to the same <br />area in succeeding years. Since there are no hard and fast <br />rules concerning the sandhill crane's response to mine <br />construction, this mine c,o~~ld serve as a test case. Should <br />the birds avoid the area and not return, mitigation of the <br />loss could be achieved by constructing and revegetating <br />stock ponds in undisturbed areas adjacent to the mine to <br />attract the cranes back into the area. <br />Concerning staging areas, the cranes did concentrate in the <br />area of mine adits and activity prior to fall migration, <br />i.e., along Fish Creek (Section 15-16). The importance of <br />this area for the local population occurred after nesting. <br />Whether Fish Creek is a staging area for a larger area than <br />12 <br />