Wildlife Specialist report

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2007). To analyze effects to this species from the proposed action and each alternative of the Travel Management Project on the GNF analysis will focus on two factors: 1) To analyze the potential for harvest effects of motorized activities to Bald Eagles we will measure road miles within 500 meters of lake habitat with known bald eagle sites, as these densities pertain to the existing condition and the change proposed in each alternative. 2) To analyze potential disturbance effects we will use a disturbance zone of 500 meters from known Bald Eagle sites as it pertains to the existing condition and the change proposed in each alternative. Golden Eagle [(Aquila chrysaetos Canadensis)/ NM Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Representative of Plain/Mountain Grasslands and Dessert Shrub/Grassland Habitat Cover Type, Protected Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1962] - Golden Eagles occur in generally open country, in prairies, arctic and alpine tundra, open wooded country, and barren areas, especially in hilly or mountainous regions. The species nests on rock ledges of cliffs or in large trees (e.g., oak or eucalytus in California, white pine in eastern North America). The pairs may have several alternate nests, and may use the same nest in consecutive years or shift to alternate nests used in different years (NatureServe Explorer 2010). The Golden Eagle breeds in open and semi-open habitats from near sea level to 3,630 m (Birds of North America Online Resource 2010). Golden Eagles occur primarily in mountainous canyon land, rim-rock terrain of open deserts and grassland areas of western United States. The Golden Eagle typically forages in open habitats: grasslands or steppe like vegetation. During Migration in the western United States and Canada this species may hunt over wetlands, agricultural areas, and grassy foothills. In western Canada, they may select areas with strong thermal activity and uplifts for energy-efficient migration (Birds of North America Online Resource 2010). Golden Eagles winter primarily in humid temperate and dry eco-region domains from southern Alaska and Canada to central Mexico. Golden Eagles are fairly common breeding permanent residents to the GNF (Zimmerman, 1995). While Zimmerman (1995) included this species as a fairly common breeding resident to the GNF, no known nests have been <strong>report</strong>ed by leading ornithologists working on the GNF, (Roland Shook, Personal Communication) or by the Raptor Biologist for Hawks Aloft, New Mexico (Personal Communication, Ron Kellermueller 03/17/2010). Further, Kellermueler stated that while incidents of Ponderosa Pine nesting was documented on Bison M, he currently knows of no occupied Golden Eagle territories in New Mexico in Ponderosa Pine Habitat. He stated that the habitat type preferred by this species in New Mexico is Plains Grassland and Dessert Shrub (Kellermueler personal communication 03/17/2010). Holmes et al (1993), document vehicle disturbance to wintering Golden Eagles up to 190 meters. To analyze effects to this species from the proposed action and each alternative of the Travel Management Project on the GNF analysis will focus on two factors: 1) To analyze the potential for harvest/direct disturbance effects of motorized activities to Golden Eagles we will measure road miles within Plains Grassland and Desert 74
Shrub/Grassland vegetation types, as these densities pertain to the existing condition and the change proposed in each alternative. 2) To analyze disturbance/indirect effects we will use a disturbance zone of 200 meters from Plains/Mountain Grassland and Desert Shrub/Grassland vegetation cover types as it pertains to the existing condition and the change proposed in each alternative. Raptor Summary: Table 46 list road associated and motorized trail/ORV factors related to raptor focal species that represent this group (Gaines et al. 2003); analysis factors based on the analysis factor discussed above; and the indicator that will be used to compare the different levels of affect between the different alternatives. Table 46: Focal Road Associated Group Factors¹ Raptors Collisions Collection Poaching Disturbance, Displacement, Avoidance, Harassment Motorized Trail/ORV Associated Factors Collisions Collection Poaching Disturbance, Displacement, Avoidance, Harassment Combined Analysis Analysis Factors Indicator Harvest/Direct Effects Route Miles Disturbance/Indirect Effects Disturbance Zone Summarized In Acres Table 47 summarizes the harvest indicator, disturbance indicator, and analysis area that will be used to analyze the effects of the different alternatives to raptors. Table 47: Focal Species Motorized Activity Harvest Mexican Spotted Owl Northern Goshawk Peregrine Falcon Bald Eagle Golden Eagle Indicator Disturbance Zone Motorized Trail and Roads Route Miles 105m PACs Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Critical Habitat Route Miles 400m Mixed Conifer PFAs Analysis Area Route Miles 2200m Ponderosa Pine Peregrine Nest Area Route Miles 500m Quemado Lake, Snow Lake, and Lake Roberts Route Miles 200m Desert Shrub/Grassland 75
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Gila National Forest Travel Managem
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that are on the Regional Forester S
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ALTERNATIVES and MITIGATION MEASURE
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AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The Gila Natio
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In 1977, a study was published by a
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Regional Forester Sensitive Species
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MacGillivray’s Warbler HP Painted
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Barriers to Animal Travel or Moveme
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occupied sites, etc.). For habitat
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Issues identified during scoping re
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Elk (Game Species identified as spe
Page 23 and 24: Table 12 summarizes the harvest ind
Page 25 and 26: Table 14: Pronghorn Analysis Area -
Page 27 and 28: Bighorn Sheep (Forest Service Sensi
Page 29 and 30: Mule Deer (Gila Management Indicato
Page 31 and 32: Wide Ranging Carnivores Table19: Wi
Page 33 and 34: from a road, except when feeding. K
Page 35 and 36: HUC 1303020202 Hot/Cold Springs 195
Page 37 and 38: Percent Change -0.17% -20.66% -45.4
Page 39 and 40: Mountain Lion and Black Bear (game
Page 41 and 42: So under this alternative through t
Page 43 and 44: microhabitat in the desert landscap
Page 45 and 46: Southern red-backed vole (Forest Se
Page 47 and 48: largely unknown, but it is thought
Page 49 and 50: Small Mammals-Effects by Alternativ
Page 51 and 52: Beaver (Gila Management Indicator S
Page 53 and 54: White-nosed Coati, Western Red Bat,
Page 55 and 56: 2% in the Hooded Skunk and Botta’
Page 57 and 58: The literature documents that a lar
Page 59 and 60: iparian (cottonwood/sycamore), and
Page 61 and 62: Reptiles and Amphibians-Effects by
Page 63 and 64: effects to the species and its habi
Page 65 and 66: Arizona Toad and Narrow Headed Gart
Page 67 and 68: Under this alternative you continue
Page 69 and 70: from grassland areas, and game bird
Page 71 and 72: Spotted Owl and determined that roa
Page 73: and Miller, 1997, Hamann et al, 199
Page 77 and 78: Table 49: Mexican Spotted Owl Criti
Page 79 and 80: The potential disturbance area in P
Page 81 and 82: Table 51: Mexican spotted owl feder
Page 83 and 84: Northern Goshawk (Gila MIS Species,
Page 85 and 86: Peregrine Falcon (Forest Service Se
Page 87 and 88: dates the species’ successful nes
Page 89 and 90: NMPIF High-Priority Species Alt. B
Page 91 and 92: Cavity Nesting Birds-Effects by Alt
Page 93 and 94: Findings: Table66: Hairy woodpecker
Page 95 and 96: 2008). The GBMA is primarily manage
Page 97 and 98: trees, and succulents dominated by
Page 99 and 100: New Mexico, where it is resident in
Page 101 and 102: Table 71: Analysis Area - Existing
Page 103 and 104: In these analysis areas the area of
Page 105 and 106: Neotropic Cormorant (Forest Service
Page 107 and 108: the Wilson’s phalarope analysis a
Page 109 and 110: NMPIF High Priority Species Common
Page 111 and 112: Gray Vireo (Forest Service Sensitiv
Page 113 and 114: Song Bird Summary: Table 82 list ro
Page 115 and 116: Costa’s Hummingbird (Forest Servi
Page 117 and 118: Plains Titmouse (Forest Service Sen
Page 119 and 120: For the focal species and their ass
Page 121 and 122: the forest edge (New Mexico Partner
Page 123 and 124: conifers with dense foliage. Limiti
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Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Ponderosa
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Findings: Table 96: Mearn’s quail
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showed an increase in numbers from
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Insect - Effects by Alternative A M
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Dashed Ringtail (Forest Service Sen
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area. These routes continue to caus
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ecreational activities, game manage
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6 th codes remains between 1.5 to 2
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Table 107: 5th Code 6th Code Waters
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MSO PACs Analysis Area 187,083 Acre
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HUC 1302020804 Alamocito Canyon Tot
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6th Code Watershed Alt B Alt C Alt
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Forest Plan and Other Laws and Regu
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Topic Threatened & Endangered Speci
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Appendix A Gila National Forest Neo
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Oak-Juniper Acorn Woodpecker Dark-e
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Ponderosa Pine Acorn Woodpecker Chi
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Marsh/Open American Avocet Clark’
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