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Sage Creek Mine February 2009 <br />both Cooper's hawks and northern harriers nest in the area of the proposed Sage Creek Mine <br />survey area. Due to habitat considerations, it is not likely that the bald eagle nests within the Sage <br />Creek Mine survey area, but a more detailed discussion is provided in the Threatened and <br />Endangered Species and State Species of Special Concern section below. <br />4.4 Threatened and Endangered Species and State Species of Special Concern <br />As noted in the Methods section, with the exception of grouse and raptor nest surveys, no specific <br />protocols were required for any federally threatened or endangered species during the baseline <br />surveys on and near the Sage Creek Mine. However, biologists searched for all federally listed <br />species (including endangered, threatened, proposed, petitioned, and candidate species) within <br />1.0 mile of the proposed Sage Creek Mine surface disturbing activities and watched for these <br />species while conducting all other surveys. Other than the bald eagle, no federal or state listed, <br />proposed, petitioned, and /or candidate species were documented during the 2008 baseline wildlife <br />surveys. <br />One subadult bald eagle was seen soaring over the woodlands and rocky ridgeline in SE SE <br />• Section 10 T5N:R87W on June 22, 2008. The eagle momentarily joined a group of two red - tailed <br />hawks and two turkey vultures circling over the area before continuing north and out of view. One <br />adult bald eagle was also observed soaring over the ridgeline and reclaimed grasslands in NE NE <br />Section 2 T5N:R87W later that same day. The eagle spent several minutes circling at moderate <br />heights before flying off to the east and out of view. Due to the relative lack of trees large enough <br />to support nesting bald eagles, it's unlikely that the species nests within the Sage Creek Mine <br />survey area. However, the Yampa River is located approximately 1.4 miles north of the Sage <br />Creek Mine permit area and provides suitable nesting, summer foraging, and winter roosting <br />habitat for bald eagles. According to the CDOW records the closest known bald eagle nest and <br />winter roost site is north of the Sage Creek Mine study area along the Yampa River, approximately <br />3.2 miles and 2.8 miles, respectively. <br />Aside from the aforementioned Columbian sharp - tailed grouse, the sandhill crane was the only <br />other State Species of Special Concern known to occur within the Sage Creek Mine study area. <br />No other State Species of Special Concern were documented during the baseline wildlife surveys <br />for the mine in spring and summer 2008. In conjunction with the April 2008 monitoring efforts for <br />• the Seneca II and Yoast Mines, biologists drove a standardized annual route within the mine area, <br />23 <br />