PERMFILE103841

• Permit No: M1997054
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Section_Exhibit Name: EXHIBIT H WILDLIFE INFORMATION
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Exhibit H CMLRB 112 Permit Application
Agile Stone Systems, Inc.
• Division of Wildlife 1984). Rock outcrop at the proposed sandstone quarry site is the
only area with potential rock crevice bat roost sites that would be disturbed by project
development. This azea was thoroughly seazched during the field surveys, and no
crevices with evidence of bat use (accumulations of guano) were located.
4.5 Waterbirds
Waterbirds include waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wading birds typically associated
with wetlands and bodies of surface water. Wetlands aze limited to small pockets of
riparian vegetation along the Tallahassee Creek channel, and the presence of surface
water is limited to stream flow in the Tallahassee Creek. There aze no azeas of pool or
pond habitat, and as a result, waterbird use of the permit azea is limited primarily to
species such as killdeer and spotted sandpiper.
4.6 Raptors
Raptor use of the permit area is limited primarily to species associated with shrubland
and pinon/juniper habitats in the foothills and lower elevation mountainous portions of
the state. No raptors were observed during field surveys, but potential year-long
residents and/or summer breeders include turkey vulture, northern harrier, Cooper's
hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, prairie
falcon, great homed owl, and long-eared owl (Andrews and Righter 1992, ICingery 1987).
Suitable nesting habitat is present on or near the permit azea 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 homed owl typically nest in relatively lazge trees
with open crowns or on cliff ledges and azeas 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 homed 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
extent of livestock grazing in the permit area, preferred northern harrier nesting habitat is
generally lacking 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 in the permit azea represent suitable nest sites for
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