2009-06-17_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007 (2)

Home Browse Search

Common Trout: Common trout, which include Colorado River cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout, do not occur in the Dry Fork of Minnesota or Deep Creeks. OTHER WILDLIFE RAPTORS During surveys conducted in May and June 2009, both active and inactive nests for raptors were located. All suitable habitat, which included aspen, spruce-fir and Douglas fir habitat were checked for nests. Of the nests checked in the project area five were active. All nest locations are shown on Figure 1. Nest numbers on Figure 1 correspond to data for each nest site found in • Table 4. Starting this year a code system has been implemented to keep track of nests over time. On Table 4 the first number corresponds to the nest number shown on Figure 1. The two numbers following the dash indicate the year a nest was first located. • As in the past, nearly all nests were located in aspen stringers and rarely in large stands of aspen. However, many of the aspen stringers are dying out which, is having an apparent effect on nesting. This is especially true for accipiters. As the aspens stands die out nesting conditions in the stands are affected and the birds are apparently going elsewhere to find suitable nest sites. Several of the inactive nests were active in the past. These nests are located in stands where there • are few living trees or the trees have limited leaf production and crown cover. During this years surveys, some nests that were found during the 2007 and 2008 surveys for the E-Seam Methane Drainage area Habitat and Wildlife Studies were checked. Two of the nests • near the E-Seam panel 1 ( numbers 6-07 & 7-07) that were inactive 2008 were not checked • during this years surveys. The lack of activity at these nests last year and construction of the roads and pads to MDW's as well as the wells currently being in operation was the reason for not checking these nests. Red-tailed hawks - One red-tailed hawk nest (nest #1-07) located in open mature aspen stand was active in 2008 was not active this year. Red-tail nest # 2-07 which was inactive in 2008 is active this year. When last checked on June 3 the female was sitting tight on the nest indicating that the eggs have not hatched or the young are very small. In either case it will be mid to late July before these birds will fledge. This could be the same bird using the two nest sites as alternates. Red-tail nest #3-08 located in a small Douglas fir stand above Two Ponds is active again this year. When last checked on June 3 there were three young on the nest. From the downy condition and size it is estimated that these birds will fledge sometime around July fourth. A third active red-tail nest (#12-09) is located in an aspen stand in a small side drainage of Deer Creek. When checked on June 3 there were two young on the nest. The size of these birds indicate they will probably fledge sometime in early to mid-July. Accipiters - Two active Cooper's hawk nest were found during this years surveys. Nest #11-09 is located in a drainage near the east end of E-Seam panel 2. The other nest #13-09, is located • near the upper end of Poison Gulch and well away from the E-Seam 2 & 3 panels. The one active Cooper's hawk nest in 2008 #5-07, was not active this year. The aspen stand were this nest is 11