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• gambelii) with lesser amounts of mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus) and serviceberry <br />(Amelanchier spp.). Aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands and isolated stands of fir (Abies spp.) <br />and spruce (Picea pungens) were scattered throughout the areas in the far south and east, but <br />mainly occurred along the upper reaches of drainages and north-facing slopes. Rolling rangeland <br />and agricultural fields were present in the north-central and extreme northwest portions of the <br />area. The lower elevations typically hosted sagebrush-grasslands communities and some pinyon- <br />juniper (Pinus spp./Juniperus spp.) habitats. Limited bottomland habitats occurred along some <br />of the larger tributaries of Dry Creek and Hubberson Gulch and around stock reservoirs. <br />Reclaimed lands within the permit area (primarily within the central and south-central portions) <br />were dominated by grasslands, but also harbored some shrub-grasslands. <br />METHODS <br />Upland Game Birds <br />Sharp-tailed grouse lek monitoring and searches were limited to the Seneca II-West Mine permit <br />area and suitable habitats within 0.5 mile of the permit area. ICF Jones & Stokes biologists <br />• conducted counts between one-half hour before and one hour after sunrise on the morning of <br />April 30, 2008 at both of the known sharp-tailed grouse leks (Seneca II-West and Seneca II-West <br />2) documented within the survey area. The Seneca II-West lek was discovered in 2002 on a <br />grassy knoll just south of the haul road in NW SE Section 22 T5N:R88W. In 2004, biologists <br />recorded grouse displaying within reclamation at Seneca II-West 2 lek in NW NW Section 23 <br />T5N:R88W. The Seneca II-West 2 lek is located approximately 0.6 mile northeast of the Seneca <br />II-West lek, and may be a satellite location to the original lek site (Exhibit 1). <br />Lek counts were conducted by having biologists drive or walk to a vantage point near each lek <br />and count all birds present. Selected portions of reclamation were searched on foot. In rare <br />occasions when vegetation or topography prevented a complete count from a distance, the <br />biologist walked out to the lek and flushed the birds for a final count. Searches for new leks on <br />and near the permit area were also conducted from one-half hour before to one hour after sunrise <br />on April 30, 2008. In addition to specifically visiting sites where non-displaying grouse were <br />observed in past years, biologists looked and listened for displaying grouse while slowly driving <br /> <br />2008 Seneca II-West Mine Wildlife Monitoring Page 2