1988-04-11_PERMIT FILE - C1981008A (29)

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All observations of mammal species seen during the course of this survey and during the baseline vegetation survey were recorded in field notebooks and later transferred to a permanent species account log. With these notes, incidental observations noted during the ferret survey, small mammal trapping results, the literature survey, and information supplied by Mr. Ron Arant, an assessment of the mammal fauna of the study area was completed. Birds. Bird species were sampled by a variety of techniques. Observations (either incidental or concurrent with surveying activities) indicating breeding, significant migratory behavior, and significant utilization of one or more habitats in the study area were noted in field books. These notes were later transferred to permanent species accounts journals. The general frequency of bird species occurrence was determined using road cruise counts. A 4.2 mile (6.7 km) route was established in the study area (Exhibit 11-3). The route was traversed by vehicle twice in spring (27-28 May 1987) and twice in fall (8-9 October 1987). Each count began about 1.5 hours before sunset and ended at sunset. Fifteen three-minute stops were made on each replication. All birds detected at each stop were recorded. Results are reported as the proportion of all stops at which a species was detected in each season to the total of 30 station stops to provide an index of relative abundance. The road count was also used to quantify the occurrence of three upland game bird species: the ring-necked pheasant, common snipe, and mourning dove. Winter raptor use of the study area and vicinity was assessed during an afternoon and morning of cruising roads and glassing fields, trees, and skylines on 12-13 January 1988. The effort was directed toward locating key roosting and/or hunting areas. Road cruises and glassing were also conducted during the spring survey period (20-22 and 26-29 May 1987) to locate raptor nest sites. In addition, all observations of raptors made during the course of field work were recorded. Seasonal small bird densities were determined in the farmsteads/orchards, swale, and rangeland habitats. The small, fragmented nature of these habitats in the study area necessitated the use of differing census techniques in each. Both the Swale and farmsteads/orchards habitats had blocks in the study area that were of sufficient size to allow absolute sampling of all birds found in them. The swale habitat block selected for study was present as a linear stringer of willows surrounded by hydrophytic graminoids 11-2-9 Revised 04/11/88