West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

willows typically form the canopy at breeding sites such as Big Morongo Canyon and theMojave River at Victorville.Population Status in the Planning Area: The yellow warbler has nested at only fourlocalities: the Mojave River at Victorville (8-12 pairs annually), Camp Cady (1 pair in 1985),Morongo Valley (1-6 pairs annually), and Big Rock Creek (1-2 pairs annually). Yellow warblerswere present and potentially breeding at several of the east Sierra Canyons in 2001.As a migrant, yellow warbler is common throughout the western Mojave Desert.Hundreds have been observed in mid-May at Butterbredt Spring; fall daily maxima in the samearea are typically between 50-100. It is casual during winter. Recent records exist for Arrastreand Grapevine Canyons south of Apple Valley and in the east Sierra Canyons of Kern and Inyocounties.Regulatory Status: California Species of Special Concern.Threats Affecting the Yellow Warbler: Habitat destruction and parasitism by brownheadedcowbirds are the primary threats to breeding yellow warblers in the western MojaveDesert. Groundwater pumping in the Mojave River is a potential threat.3.3.7 Reptiles3.3.7.1 Mojave Fringe-Toed LizardLife History: The Mojave fringe-toed lizard in endemic to southern California and asmall area of western Arizona. This species is an obligate sand-dweller, found in dunes, sandfields, sand hummocks, and other sand deposits throughout the Mojave Desert in California. Itselevation ranges from 300 to 3000 feet. Its survival requires conservation of the blowsandecosystem processes, including the sand source, fluvial sand transport areas, aeolian sandtransport areas, wind corridors, and the occupied habitat.Population Status in the Planning Area: Mojave fringe-toed lizards occur at severaldisjunct localities in the planning area. Occupied habitat is found at the Saddleback Buttesregion of Los Angeles County, Edwards Air Force Base, El Mirage, Mojave River near Barstow,Mojave Valley, Alvord Mountain, Pisgah, Cronese Lakes, Dale Lake, Twentynine Palms, andHarper Dry Lake.Regulatory Status: California Species of Special Concern.Threats Affecting the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard: Urban and rural development hasfragmented populations along the Mojave River and at Twentynine Palms. Agriculturaldevelopment has eliminated and fragmented populations in the Mojave Valley. These threatswill continue during the duration of the permit.Chapter 3 3-182