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

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Sage Creek Mine February 2009 • good condition and no evidence of failure (e.g., egg shells or chicks) was present in or under the tree. An adult Swainson's hawk was also observed brooding small young in late June, but the number of young could not be determined due to the limited view through the foliage and the age (i.e., size) of the chicks. Golden eagles are relatively common in the Sage Creek Mine survey area, with seven territories identified over the last 12 years. As part of the wildlife monitoring for the overlapping Seneca II Mine, two to three pairs of golden eagles have nested in the area annually from 2004 to 2007. As the annual Seneca II Mine wildlife monitoring does not require information on eagle production, it is not possible to determine the number of fledged young each year with the current data. However, in some instances (e.g., nest GOEA (2a) in 2004 and 2005), young have been old enough during the early spring surveys to determine the number hatched and potentially the number of young fledged. In 2008, four pairs of eagles fledged seven young. Long term monitoring for the Seneca II Mine has identified the abundant cliff substrates and rocky outcrops as important features in the establishment and success of nesting golden eagles in the area. • American kestrels were commonly observed during surveys for the Sage Creek Mine, but nest detection can often be difficult due to their site selection. Kestrels typically nest in tree or rock cavities that are often obscured from view, but also readily accept artificial nest boxes as a suitable nesting substrate. One American kestrel nest was identified at the nest box erected for mitigation purposes on the Seneca II Mine in SE SE Section 34 T6N:R87W, with at least two young and both adults present within the box during the June 2008 survey. Rock and tree cavities are present within many areas in and surrounding the Sage Creek Mine survey area, providing relatively abundant nesting habitat for this raptor species. Red - tailed hawks are another relatively common raptor species in the Sage Creek Mine survey area, with numerous nesting attempts documented in the areas surrounding the Sage Creek Mine during the baseline studies for the adjacent Yoast Mine (ICF Jones & Stokes 1994). In 2008, two red - tailed hawk nests in separate territories were identified during baseline surveys for the Sage Creek Mine. Both nests were active, with at least two young fledged between the two nests. Although nest RTHA (1) could only be determined as "Active, tended ", since a pair of red - tailed hawks was observed defending the nest in June but no young were present at the nest. No evidence of a failed nesting attempt was present in or around the nest, and it is possible that the • young had fledged prior to the survey. Although red - tailed hawks are a relatively common species, 21