Laserfiche WebLink
100m to record all birds seen or heard during afive-minute interval within . <br />SOm of the stop. These techniques are consistent with recaa~endations found <br />in Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Guideline #5 (1979). The <br />rnsnbers of all birds seen or heard (including non passerines) were recozYied <br />by species and habitat type. arpr-+rling birds were censused on clear, calm, <br />warm mornings in June, 1979. Censuses were conducted for three consecutive <br />days. <br />Resident wintering passerines were censured along the 1 km paced transects <br />for three consecutive days during early February, 1980 in all of the vegeta- <br />tion types ~nsused for breeding birds except riparian (no riparian habitat <br />existed because of snag conditions). Due to the weather conditions aryl to <br />the low passerine diversity at this time of year, a flush census technique <br />was used. The rnmlbess of all birds flushed, perched or flying over the 1 km <br />paced strip transact were recorded by species and habitat type. Strip <br />transacts were run throughout the daylight hours. <br />Qualitative surveys of areas not subjected to strip census were conducted • <br />in June during mid-day and late afternoon to canpile a oon~lete list of <br />birds occupying the study site. Strip oPSisuses often do not account for <br />all species and since the breeding bird strip census was only conducted <br />during early morning hours, time was left at mid~7ay and late afternoon <br />for qualitative avian surveys. <br />Raptors. All raptors and their nest sites protected by the Migratory Bird <br />Treaty Act (certain hawks), The Eagle Protection Act (golden and bald <br />eagles), and the prr~posed Federal Coal Management Proc~am criteria (Criteria <br />#9-14 deal with falcons and eagles) was identified for the study area during <br />all field investigations. Also, potential raptor nesting sites were <br />identified and mapped during ground activities. All potential nest sites <br />identified during these surveys were subjected to intensive c¢ound studies <br />during the height of the 1979 reproductive season to determine whether they <br />were occupied by nesting pairs of peregrine falcons, bald or golden eagles, <br />prairie falcons or other protected raptors. The skyline watch was employed <br />to survey all potential nesting areas. It is virtually certain that nesting • <br />-6- <br />Revised 5-27-81 <br />