Laserfiche WebLink
and summer and limited nesting by cranes in the park has been documented. A survey for nesting sandhill cranes <br />• was conducted in the proposed permit area in the spring of 1984. Results of this survey are presented and <br />discussed in a subsequent secUOn. <br />Saee Grouse Lek Surveys. <br />Two sage grouse strutting grounds (Twentymile and Hudspeth) occur on or near the proposed permit area. The <br />Hudspeth ground is a lek complex. A lek complex is an association of leks that occur generally in close proximity <br />to each other and which serve the same population, with birds usually interacting between these leks. Locations of <br />all leks active from 1982 to 1984 are plotted on Map 22, Locations of Sage Grouse Leks and Sagebrush Habitat. <br />In 1983 four leks were documented for the Hudpse[h complex. In 1984 only one of the 1983 leks was active and a <br />new associated lek was discovered. Rodgers (1964) has suggested [ha[ the use of multiple grounds is in response <br />to variation in snow cover from year to year. His studies showed [ha[ in years with heavier than usual snow cover <br />in the spring, birds will begin strutting on their winter range and gradually move to preferred grounds at higher <br />elevations as snow cover recedes. The lek locations in the Hudspeth Complex vary only from 40 to 80 ft (12 to 24 <br />m) in elevation from the western lek locations, which are slightly higher. However, sno~+• cover on the two <br />western-most lek locations did not completely clear until the middle of May 1984. <br />Results of the 1982 through 1984 lek monitoring surveys are provided on Table 42, Results of Lek Monitoring, <br />1982-1984. Highest counts obtained for cocks on [he Hudspeth Complex in 1982, 1983, and 1984 were 2, 28, and <br />I I, respectively. Accurate total counts for [he Hudspeth Complex were somewhat difficult to obtain since there <br />usually appeared [o be at least some exchange of birds between grounds. Highest counts obtained far cocks on the <br />Twentymile Lek in 1982, 1983, and 1984 were 38, 46 and 19, respectively. <br />• Monitoring in 1984 was initiated later than usual because of unusually harsh spring weather and heavier than <br />average snow cover in the Twentymile Park area. Also, conversations by the Applicant's personnel with John <br />Monarch, Pittsburg and Midway Coal Company biologist, indicated that strutting activity on the leks was not <br />initiated until late April. No birds were on [he leks during the April 4 and 16 surveys. The initial counts <br />conducted by CCA for 1984 mere initiated on May I. A[ [his time approxirna[ely 50 and 70 percent snow cover <br />was present at [he Twentymile and Hudspeth leks, respectively. Highest counts for 1984 were made during the <br />first survey period on May I. Maximum counts in Colorado usually occur from April IS to May I (Rodgers <br />1964), but poor weather conditions and snow cover on the grounds have been observed [o delay breeding activity, <br />with peak male counts occurring in the first two weeks of May (Gill 1965, Petersen 1980). Maximum cock counts <br />obtained for 1984 were less than half of those recorded for 1983. It is uncertain whether this reduction was a result <br />of [he delayed initiation of 1984 counts missing peak activity or an actual reduction in population size, possibly <br />due to severe winter and spring weather. Monitoring of sage grouse leks will end in 1986. <br />Delineation and Discussion of Sagebrush Habitats <br />Sagebrush habitats in the permit area were delineated and mapped as three distinct sagebrush communities: low <br />sagebrush, mountain (big) sagebrush, and sagebrush/meadow. Locations and extent of these communities are <br />plotted on Map 22, Locations of Sage Grouse Leks and Sagebrush Habitat. Low sagebrush is the predominant <br />sagebrush communiq~ occurring in the permit area. It occurs throughout the lowland portions of the permit area <br />where cultivation has not occurred. Mountain sagebrush occurs as small inclusions within low sagebrush and on <br />steeper slopes a[ higher elevations. Sagebrush/meadow is found only along bottomland portions of Fish Creek and <br />Poidel Creek. <br />• A summary of cover and height measurements made in the three sagebrush communities within the proposed <br />permit area is presented on Table 43, Sagebrush Height and Cover. On the average, low sagebrush communities <br />are considerably shorter but exhibit greater sagebrush canopy cover than mountain sagebrush and <br />sagebrush/meadow. Sagebnish/meadow exhibits the lowest sagebrush canopy cover of the three types. The <br />MR 97-I>4 2.04-71 Revised 10/02/97 <br />