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WILDLIFE RESOURCES ASSESSMENT <br />FORT LUPTON PROPERTIES, WELD COUNTY, COLORADO <br />project site. The proposed aggregate mine would remove prairie dogs, the primary prey <br />for wintering ferruginous hawks along the Colorado Front Range (Beane 1996) <br />bong Billed Curlew (Numinous americanus) <br />The long-billed curlew is globally secure, but listed as a state species of concern. <br />This species mostly nests on shortgrass prairies (Kingery 1998). The presence of water <br />may influence initiation of nesting in the first year. Site fidelity may then cause the bird <br />to return even if nearby water has dried up (McCallum et al. 1977). Breeding curlews <br />arcive on breeding grounds in April and eggs hatch from early to mid-June. No curlews <br />were observed in the study area and no records of breeding curlews exist near the project <br />site. The proposed project is highly unlikely to impact any long-billed curlew. <br />SwJt Fox (Vu/pes velox) <br />The Swift fox is a state species of special concern. The distribution of swift fox <br />includes the grasslands of the Great Plains including eastern Colorado (Fitzgerald et al. <br />1994). Den sites are usually located on sites dominated by native shortgrass prairie <br />species such as blue grama and buffalo grass. They are sometimes associated with prairie <br />dog towns although they generally excavate their own dens (Fitzgerald et al. 1994). The <br />For[ Lupton properties do not support areas of native shortgrass prairie that the swift fox <br />typically favor. The proposed project is highly unlikely to impact swift fox. <br />Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) <br />The northern leopard frog typically inhabits the banks and shallow portions of <br />wetlands, ponds, lakes, streams, and other permanent bodies of water. This species <br />breeds in shallow, non-flowing portions of permanent water bodies and in seasonally <br />flooded areas. Leopard frogs typically emerge from winter dormancy in March and <br />remain active until cold weather forces them into hibernation in October or November <br />(Hammerson 1986). <br />Leopard frogs were observed in a wetland near the South Platte River in the east- <br />central portion of the study area. Leopard frogs likely inhabit wet aeeas in or adjacent to <br />any waterway on the property. The leopard frog is currently not protected under any <br />federal, state, or county regulations. However, if the species were to become federally or <br />9 <br />