2010-05-07_PERMIT FILE - C2009087 (18)

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Sage Creek Mine February 2009 • The Seneca 2 lek was active for the eleventh consecutive year in 2008. On 28 April, 18 males were documented at the lek. With the exception of the lower numbers observed in 1998 and 2006, peak male attendance at the lek has remained relatively stable throughout the monitoring period, averaging 22 males per year. The Seneca 3 lek is also located in reclamation and was active for the seventh consecutive year in 2008. Although the location was not officially designated as a lek site until females were documented at the site in 2002, male sharp - tailed grouse were observed in the general vicinity from 1998 through 2001. Since 2001, the male attendance has averaged 20.6 males with a peak count of 34 males in 2005. Sixteen grouse flushed from the site during surveys in 2008, which also prevented the determination of the males from females. The Seneca 4 lek site was discovered during grouse monitoring surveys in 2004. Prior to 2008, the peak male attendance fluctuated from 6 to 13 individuals. The highest attendance recorded to date was in 2008, when 18 non - displaying individuals were documented at the lek site. • Mine personnel and ICF Jones & Stokes biologists have documented displaying grouse at one additional location within reclamation near the Seneca leks in spring 2007. On April 22, 2007 biologists recorded eight males displaying in NE NW Section 12 T5N:R87W, slightly northeast of a mine road and nearly equidistant (0.25 mile) from the Seneca 2 and Seneca 4 leks. No females were observed at that time. Although no grouse were found at the site during the 2008 surveys, it will be included in future annual surveys to determine whether the site should be considered as a lek. Displaying grouse have been documented at the Annan's Twentymile 1 -3 leks well before 1997. Historical records from 1996 to 2000 indicate that the combined total male attendance at the Annan's Twentymile 1 and Annan's Twentymile 2 leks contributed to greater than 50% of the male grouse recorded at all monitored lek sites on or within 1.0 mile of the Sage Creek Mine survey area. Although male attendance at the Annan's Twentymile 1 and Annan's Twentymile 2 leks remained relatively constant from 2001 to 2003, a marked decline occurring in 2004 lowered numbers significantly. Since 2004, the Annan's Twentymile 1 lek has routinely had less than 10 displaying males at the lek. In 2008, biologists observed only seven males and one female at the lek. After 2004, male attendance at the Annan's Twentymile 2 lek has been relatively low with only • 14