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little specific habitat requirements until the subsequent nesting season when they often return to the <br />same area where they successfully nested or were fledged. <br />The adaptive nature of golden eagles plus, the abundance of favorable habitat in both the proposed <br />impact and adjacent areas for hunting, nesting and perching allows for a perturbation rating of 2. No <br />surface vents were constructed within 1/4-mile of the nesting sites on the cliffs above the proposed <br />portal. Further protection will be given to golden eagles by providing a buffer zone along Scullion Gulch. <br />No activity will be allowed from March 1 until June 1 in the following areas: Section 3: S-112 SE-114, <br />E-1/2 SE-1/4 SW-1/4 and Section 10: NE-1/4 NE-1/4 of T2N, R101W. <br />Sage grouse are ubiquitous in open, semi-desert sagebrush and grass habitat throughout the western <br />United States. Sagebrush and grass are relied upon for food, cover and nesting. Mating occurs in <br />"leks", open areas used in strutting displays in the spring. In this specific instance sage grouse were <br />concentrated 1-2 birds per hectare, along the riparian habitat of the mine and water takeout and in the <br />grass habitats of the waste disposal site. Little preference was shown for sagebrush and minimal for <br />mixed desert shrub. The birds were nesting and feeding in the grass areas of the waste disposal site. <br />Sage grouse are major inhabitants of, and dependent upon, open semi-desert sagebrush and grass <br />habitat throughout the western United States (Patterson 1952, Johnsgard 1973). Sagebrush and grass <br />are relied upon for food, cover and nesting (Dalke et al. 1963, Braun et al. 1977). Mating occurs on <br />"leks", open areas used for male territorial defense and female strutting displays, in the spring (Scott <br />• 1942). Knowing this, the terrestrial vertebrate consultant attempted field studies during late March and <br />all of April. The inclement weather, including late snows in April and the first week of May, rendered the <br />roads impassable during normal "lek" activity, and prevented field data collection until the "leks" if <br />present would no longer be in use. One man-week, however, was spent in ground surveys looking for <br />concentrated scat, nest and other indications of "lek" activity but to no avail. Low level aerial <br />reconnaissance, three separate times, and detailed analysis of aerial photographs were also done. At <br />best only three potential "lek" sites could be identified. They are indicated on Map 124. Consultation <br />with Colorado Division of Wildlife personnel from the Denver office and Lou Vidukovich, the local <br />conservation officer, indicated that no known "leks" has been identified for the area. A similar lack of <br />knowledge was attested for the area of concern by BLM personnel from the Meeker and Craig office. <br />A study of the specific impact area of concern having high sage grouse numbers was conducted during <br />the spring of 1981 to determine if "lek" activity occured within the area of potential impact. Since none <br />were found, specific mitigation is avoidance of the one identified lek north of Cactus Reservoir. No <br />disturbances of any kind will occur at the lek approximately 100 meters north of Cactus Reservoir. <br />Burrowing owls are thought to be declining in numbers. This is largely due to the demise of their habitat. <br />Burrowing owls nest in the burrows of large rodents such as prairie dogs and feed on small rodents in <br />grassland habitats. 1t has long been a practice of man to control populations of large rodents and to <br />Mine Permit Renewal #3 (Rev. 8/99) IV-46 <br />