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4-49 <br />• <br />• <br />u <br />Fifty-six species of birds were identified within a one- <br />mile zone surrounding the lease property. This species <br />list includes notes on seasonal occurrence, abundance, <br />and habitat affinity that are based on the field observa- <br />tions of this study. <br />The results of the spring bird counts given in enables 4.6-7 <br />and 4.6-Q can be compared with Table 4.6-6 to obtain an un- <br />derstanding of seasonal changes in avian abundance and di- <br />versity among the major habitat types. <br />There is a basic similarity among the results of the spring, <br />summer, and fall data. Namely, in all three seasons bird <br />diversity is greatest in the riparian areas. <br />Within the lease area the distinction between riparian and <br />upland habitats is less clear than is seen downstream, <br />south of the site, beyond the front of the Book Cliffs. <br />This is largely due to the canyon topography, which cre- <br />ates many microhabitat situations associated with lateral <br />draws and the slopes adjacent to ,drainages. Consequently, <br />the separation of riparian and upland habitats shown on <br />Table a•6-S is somewhat arbitrary. The upland site list- <br />ed in Table 4.6-d is predominantly located on the valley <br />floors of tributaries of East Salt Creek, but these tribu- <br />taries represent ephemeral drainages that are usually dry. <br />There tends to be denser vegetation here, however, than oc- <br />curs on the upper slopes, These sites therefore, are some- <br />