2012-01-06_PERMIT FILE - C1982057A (2)

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r one-half mile of the extension area. Forest habitat in [he vicinity is not sufficiently dense to be considered suitable goshawk nesting habitat. Bald eagles would be expected to occur only as • temporary winter residents and would tend to utilize habitats in proximity to larger drainages, such as the Yampa River to the north and Williams Fork River to the south. Twenty-five raptor nests were located during supplemental baseline surveys. Nineteen nests were within the extension area, the other six were within the half-mile adjacent area )including two on the original Seneca II-W permit areal. Nest locations and characteristics are listed in Table 11-44. Nest numbers for this study are prefaced with the letter "S". The only nest located during the breeding season was asharp-shinned hawk nest INest 522, Table 11-441 found by ESCO Associates, Inc. during vegetation sampling. The nest was in a Gambel oak in steep mountain brush habitat at a vegetation cover sample point. A vegetation ecologist found the nest due to the vigorous defense of an adult sharp-shinned hawk. The nest was observed to contain four small downy young ID. Buckner personal communication). ESCO personnel also repeatedly observed a harrier family group (two adults and two fledged young) just north of the extension area in the SE '/. SE %., Section 23. It is quite possible that the harriers had nested in the vicinity. Harriers build inconspicuous ground nests in grassy or grass-shrub areas. Western wheatgrass/alkalai sagebrush, sagebrush/snowberry, and bottomland habitats on and near the extension area could provide suitable nesting habitat. It was not possible to determine species' affiliation or 1997 activity status for nests located • during the October fieldwork. When surveys are conducted after fledging, fresh whitewash or shed feathers will often provide evidence of species and status. Such sign had evidently been washed away by heavy late summer rains, or completely obscured by the resulting dense vegetation growth. Nest size, material, substrate, and placement can sometimes be used to narrow down the potential species using a nest. The majority of nests found on the area were medium-sized nests in live aspen trees. Most of those were probably Cooper's hawk or red-tailed hawk nests. The latter species builds with somewhat larger sticks and nests closer to the edges of tree stands, but these are rather subjective criteria and not always accurate. Only one nest (Nest 5131 was found on a rock outcrop. Such nests are generally attributable to golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, or ravens. Nest S13 was large, and constructed with large sticks, so it was most likely a golden eagle nest. It is possible that some of the nests found were not built by raptors. American crows /Corvus coraxl and common ravens (Corvus brachrhynchos) also construct and use stick nests. Both species occur in the area. 38 Revised 9/98