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Management Indicator Species <br />MIS species observed during the surveys were Merriam's turkey and red-naped sapsucker. <br />Merriam's turkeys were observed in both the Dry Fork of Minnesota and Deer Creek drainages <br />near the site. They have been observed in the same general areas in past years. Red-naped <br />sapsuckers were observed during all surveys in aspen habitat around the site. These birds are <br />commonly observed in aspen habitat throughout the North Fork Valley. Although no elk were <br />observed; there was evidence of their having been in the project area. Elk are commonly <br />observed throughout the area and have undoubtedly habituated to the presence of human activity <br />along the Minnesota Creek Road. <br />Raptors <br />There is suitable raptor nesting habitat in mature aspen and Douglas-fir found within the area <br />surveyed. No evidence of active raptor nesting was observed during the 2008 surveys. There has <br />been no raptor nesting in the area observed during the four years of surveys. There was a raven <br />nesting in an old raptor nest in the Douglas-fir stand. This nest site has been used by ravens in <br />past years. <br />Neotropical Birds <br />The mix of habitats in the study area provides conditions suitable for species typically associated <br />with these habitat types. Both the diversity and density of birds observed varied during the <br />coarse of the surveys. As in previous surveys numbers of migrating birds was high. By the last <br />survey many migrants had moved on and numbers of breeding pairs was higher. Both the <br />density and diversity of birds observed was similar to what were observed in previous years <br />surveys. (See Table 1) <br />Of interest during the 2008 surveys was the number of birds observed in the area while <br />construction activities at the air shaft site were ongoing. Both the density and diversity of birds <br />were similar to what was found in years prior to shaft construction activities. Male birds were <br />displaying within 50 feet of the fence surrounding the shaft site and an orange crowned warbler <br />nest was found within 50 feet of the fence. <br />SUMMARY <br />No federally listed T & E species are found in the project area. Suitable habitat for all of these <br />species is lacking. <br />There is suitable habitat in the project for some Sensitive Species. However, numbers observed <br />within the North Fork Valley are low and habitat is more than adequate to sustain existing <br />populations. Loss of the small amount of habitat from road and shaft site construction did not <br />appear to adversely affect any of these species. <br />3