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area and the loss of a minor amount of habitat over the short term should have negligible <br />affect on any of these species should they occur. <br />METHODS <br />Habitat conditions were assessed at each proposed drill site and short access road. Bird <br />' surveys were conducted around each drill site and along each access road during three <br />sampling periods. Surveys were conducted at approximately two-week intervals from <br />mid-May through early-June. <br />' At drill sites, distance surveyed from the proposed bore hole varied due to differences in <br />vegetation type, density and topography. At most sites the distance was approximately <br />' 400 feet. At each drill site the observer moved slowly around the drill site and stopped at <br />a minimum of three locations for 5-10 minutes to observe birds in that azea. Other <br />wildlife or sign thereof were also noted during the bird surveys. Along both proposed <br />' access road spurs and the existing road the observer would walk slowly and record all <br />birds observed or heazd. By walking slow and observing birds along the corridor most, if <br />not all, species of birds found in the area, are observed or heard. <br />' Surveys of all suitable raptor nesting habitat within 1 /4 mile of drill sites and access roads <br />were conducted. For almost the entire azea mountain shrub (primarily Gambel oak) <br />' dominates the landscape. None of this habitat type provides suitable conditions for raptor <br />nesting so it was not surveyed. There is one small aspen pocket west of the ESM 2 site <br />and a few scattered aspen trees between the Sylvester Gulch/West Flatiron access road <br />' and the ESM-3 site that were surveyed. There are no sandstone outcrops in the area that <br />would provide suitable nest sites. <br />' FINDINGS <br />This proposed four location exploration drilling program is in an area known as Apache <br />' Rocks. All sites aze dry with no nearby perennial water sources. There is a pond located <br />along the Sylvester Gulch/West Flatiron access road. This is a seasonal pond and usually <br />dries up later in the summer. <br />Vegetative communities in the study azea include: Mountain shrub (dominated by <br />Gambel oak), aspen, sagebrush, and grass/forbs. Wildlife species associated with these <br />habitat types aze commonly found throughout this portion of the North Fork Basin. <br />Existing habitat conditions for each drill site aze discussed. This is followed by a <br />discussion of wildlife or evidence thereof observed at each site and access road. <br />No T&E species listed by the USFWS or Colorado Division of Wildlife were observed <br />during the surveys. No USFS Sensitive or Management Indicator species were observed <br />during the surveys. Bird species that were observed during the surveys are shown in <br />Table 1. <br />2 <br />