2007-09-11_REVISION - M1997054 (2)

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breeders include turkey vulture, northern harrier, Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, prairie falcon, great horned owl, and long-eared owl (Andrews and Righter 1992, Kingery 1987). Suitable nesting habitat is present on or near the permit area for most of these species, but no nest sites or evidence of nesting activity of any raptor species were located during field surveys. Nest site preferences of raptors potentially breeding in the azea vary considerably. Red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, and great horned owl typically nest in relatively lazge trees with open crowns or on cliff ledges and areas of rock outcrop. Prairie falcon and turkey vulture also prefer to nest on cliff faces where rock cavities or ledges provide suitable nest sites. One previously noted cliff site exists within the permit area, but there was no evidence of raptor nesting activity on the cliff face. The few mature cottonwoods along Tallahassee Creek could provide suitable nest sites for red-tailed hawk, golden eagle and great horned owl. The trees were not leafed out at the time of the field surveys allowing visual confirmation that there was no evidence of any stick nests large enough to be used by these species. Northern harriers nest on the ground or in low shrubbery usually on slopes or in drainages supporting dense stands of shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Because of the previous extent of livestock grazing in the permit area, preferred northern harrier nesting habitat was not noted within the permit area. The American kestrel is a cavity nester, and abandoned woodpecker holes, magpie nests, and crevices in rock outcrop are used as nest sites. A variety of open and wooded habitats are occupied by the American kestrel, although it avoids densely forested habitats. Woodpecker holes or magpie nests in cottonwood trees along Tallahassee Creek or in pinon and juniper trees within the permit area represent suitable nest sites for American kestrel. Nesting habitat for Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and long-eazed owl within the permit area is restricted to stands of piiion/juniper. Piiion and juniper trees within and near proposed disturbance azeas were searched for possible stick nests of these species, but none were located. Upland Gamebirds Mourning dove and wild turkey aze the only upland gamebird species likely to occur within the permit area. Mourning doves aze summer residents and could be present in the permit area spring through fall. Mourning doves prefer habitats neaz water and, if present, are most likely to find suitable habitat the in riparian areas adjacent to the Tallahassee Creek. Wild turkey is a fairly common resident in the foothills and mesa of southern Colorado. They are common along the Arkansas River valley in the vicinity of the permit area (Andrews and Righter 1992). Preferred habitat is typically ponderosa pine forest with an understory of Gambel oak, although they also can be found in lowland riparian, foothill shrubland (mountain mahogany), pinon-juniper woodlands, and agricultural habitats (Andrews and Righter 1992). Wild turkey are known to exist in the vicinity of the mine site (Finch, personal communication 11/97) and these birds may occasionally wander through the permit area. Franc Range Aggregates, LLC- Parkda[e Quarry DMG ]!1 Permit Amendment Page 31