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<br />CNAPTERTHREE <br />Affected Emironmetlt <br />Parachute Site <br />No raptor nests were found during the 1998 raptor nest survey (Cedaz Creek Associates 1448), <br />and none are identified in the CDOW database (CDOW 1998). <br />3.8.3 Upland Game Birds <br />Sage grouse. Sage grouse were historically a game species in the Piceance Creek basin, but <br />population declines led to the closing of sage grouse hunting in 1995. It is now considered a <br />sensitive species and is discussed in Section 3.10. <br />Mourning dove. Dove aze ubiquitous summer residents in the Piceance Basin azid Pazachute <br />Creek azeas, nesting in all habitat types. They occur at the Piceance and Parachute sites and <br />along the pipe]ine corridor. <br />Blue grouse. Blue grouse occur in mixed mountain shrub and aspen conifer vegetation at higher <br />elevations in the study azea. Populations aze relatively stable, but exhibit significant swings in <br />abundance due to environmental effects on annual recruitment (BLM 1994). They occur only <br />along portions of the pipeline corridor. <br />Turkey. Turkey tend to utilize riparian azeas and adjoining mixed mountain shrub and pinyon- <br />juniper habitats for nesting. A good portion of their diet is made up of the mast crop from <br />Gambel oak in the mixed mountain shrub community. The Parachute Creek drainage from MPs <br />33 to 42 along the pipeline corridor has been mapped as important winter habitat and production <br />azeas (brood habitat). <br />3.8.4 Waterfowl and Shorebirds <br />Waterfowl seasonal use areas are associated with seasonal or perennial aquatic habitats along <br />Piceance Creek, Yellow Creek, and their major tributaries (BLM 1986a}. CDOW has improved <br />riparian wetland and upland terrace (nesting) habitat on CDOW land holdings on Yellow and <br />Duck creeks causing breeding waterfowl use, particularly of Yellow Creek, to increase <br />substantially in recent yeazs. This is illustrated by field observations by BLM biologists during <br />August 1996. Biologists report that along a 0.25 mile stretch of Yellow Creek, approximately <br />six miles north of the plant site, 16 adult gadwall, cinnamon and green-winged tea] and mallard <br />attended no less than 44 young (BLM 1998d). Migration use of the Piceance and 'Yellow Creek <br />drainages remains strong (BLM 1998d). The BLM reports that small 1 to 5 acre ponds <br />temporarily would hold 300-500 birds (primarily green-winged teal and mallard) during the fall <br />migration (September-October) and 150-200 birds (primarily wigeon, green-winged teal, and <br />mallazds) during the spring migration (April-May) (BLM 1998d). Winter use is restricted by the <br />availability of open water, but it is not uncommon for 50-100 birds (primarily wigeon, Barrow's <br />goldeneye) to use Piceance ponds and similaz numbers of mallazd and green-winged tea] to use <br />Yellow and Piceance Creeks (BLM ] 998d). Other waterfowl species that aze likel}~ to occur <br />include northern pintail, blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, gadwall, American widgeon, <br />redhead, lesser scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser, and ruddy duck (Andrews and <br />Righter 1992). Common shorebirds include killdeer, spotted sandpiper, common s~upe, and <br />3-36 wildlife <br />