2007-09-11_REVISION - M1997054 (2)

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Other Avifauna A variety of songbirds inhabit foothill shrubland and pinon/juniper habitats in southern Colorado. Some occur as year-long residents, but the majority is present only as summer residents who migrate south for the winter months. Many of these summer residents are neotropical migrants which winter in Central and South America. Yeaz-long residents observed during field surveys included northern flicker, hairy woodpecker, pinon jay, scrub jay, Clark's nutcracker, black-billed magpie, red-breasted nuthatch, rock wren, Bewick's wren, mountain chickadee, Townsend's solitaire, mountain bluebird, American robin, western meadowlark, and house finch. Because of the timing of the survey, few migrants or summer residents were recorded. Early arrivals noted during the survey were broad-tailed hummingbird, yellow-tamped warbler, chipping sparrow, and red-winged blackbird. Other representative summer residents likely to occur in the permit area include blue-gray gnatcatcher, solitary vireo, black-throated gray warbler, lazuli bunting, and vesper sparrow. Reptiles and Amphibians The diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the permit region is limited by cold winter temperatures and the general lack of aquatic habitats. Because of the early timing of the field surveys no reptiles or amphibians were observed within the permit area. Potential reptilian inhabitants include: eastern collared lizard, short-horned lizard, red-lipped prairie lizard, milk snake, western smooth green snake, bullsnake, wandering garter snake, and prairie rattlesnake (Hammerson and Langlois 1981). Potential amphibian residents in the permit area include: tiger salamander, red-spotted toad, Woodhouse's toad, and borcal chorus frog (Hammerson and Langlois 1981). Threatened and Endangered Species No identified critical habitat for any state or federally listed threatened or endangered species occurs within or near the permit area. In addition, no federal proposed or candidate species are likely to inhabit habitats within or near the permit area. Impact Assessment According to the Front Range Aggregates, LLC proposed plan, 258 acres within the permit area would be disturbed. 83 acres will be associated with the granite quarry, east of Tallahassee Creek. Of this disturbance, 64 acres would be in pinon/juniper habitat. The remaining 175 acres of disturbance would be primarily on the grassland bench on the south side of Tallahassee Creek. Approximately 112 of these acres would be for gravel production, 30 acres would be used for plant operations, with the remaining area used for roads, berms, buffers and tracks. Two stream crossings exist to access the granite and sandstone rock quarry sites on the north side of Tallahassee Creek. No riparian habitat or trees have been significantly impacted by the steam crossings. Habitat losses associated with the rock quarry area involves 64 acres of pinon/juniper habitat containing about 60% growth. However, much of this proposed disturbance would be at sites represented by areas of exposed bedrock that support very little vegetation cover (Exhibit J). Front Range Aggregates, LLC- Parkdale Quarry OMG 112 PermitAmendment Page 33