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• <br />L <br />Resident wintering passerines were censused along the same transects for <br />three consecutive days during early ,Tamely, 1980 in all of the vegetation <br />types censused for breeding birds. Due to the weather conditions and to the <br />low passerine diversity at this time of year, a flush census technique was <br />used. The numbers of all birds flushed, perched or flying over the 0.5 km <br />paced strip transect were recorded by species and habitat type. Strip transects <br />were run throughout the daylight hours. <br />Qualitative surveys of areas not subjected to strip census were conducted in <br />June during mid- -day and late afternoon to compile a complete list of birds <br />occupying the study site. Strip censuses often do not account for all species <br />and since the breeding bird strip - census was only conducted during early <br />morning hours, time was left at mid -day and late afternoon for qualitative <br />avian surveys. <br />Raptors. All raptors and their nest sieee protected by the Migratory Bird <br />TreatYy Aet (certain hawks), The Eagle Protection Act (golden and bald eagles) <br />and the proposed Federal Coal Management Program Criteria (Criteria #15 deals <br />with falcons and eagles) were identified for the study area during. all field <br />investigations (see Results, page 37). Also, potential raptor nesting sites <br />were identified and mapped during ground activities. All potential nest sites <br />identified during these surveys were subjected to intensive ground studies <br />during the height of the 1979 reproductive season to determine whether they were <br />occupied by nesting pairs of peregrine falcons, bald or golden eagles, prairie <br />falcons or other protected raptors. The skyline watch was employed to survey <br />all potential nesting areas. It is virtually certain that nesting adult raptors <br />will leave their nest site to forage at least once and often several times a <br />day during the time they have young on the nest. Any birds nesting in the area <br />are easily seen this time of the year during skyline watches of 4 -6 hours in <br />length at strategic locations. Each actual or potential nest site identified was <br />visited subsequent to the skyline watch to determine its states (i.e., active <br />or inactive). The occupants of active nest sites were observed with a spotting <br />scope from a distance to determine their species and numbers. For active and <br />inactive nest sites, location, habitat type, nest substrate and height <br />off of ground were recorded. The species and numbers of all raptors sighted <br />-7- <br />JUN I 1 1980 <br />