Birds 



All avian species observed on the study area were re- 

 corded by date, cover type, habitat type and location. The 

 scientific names and monthly occurrence of 112 species of 

 birds observed on the study area from April 19 77 through 

 July 1978 are given in Table 9. Cover type and habitat type 

 utilization for each species is given in Table 10. 



Waterfowl 



Twenty species of waterfowl were observed on the study 

 area and included ducks, geese, swans, loons, herons and 

 grebes. Several ponds and marshes surrounding Bull Lake and 

 Lake Creek were surveyed for waterfowl and Lake Creek was 

 floated with a rubber raft on July 11, 1977, from the mouth 

 of Bull Lake, 16 km (10 mi) north to the bridge near Felix 

 Creek. Bull Lake was inventoried on July 14 with a jet boat. 

 Swamps and marshes surrounding Bull Lake and Lake Creek were 

 surveyed for waterfowl broods and observations were also re- 

 corded incidental to other activities. 



Waterfowl habitat on the study area is primarily con- 

 fined to Bull Lake and Lake Creek where 90 percent of the 

 waterfowl observations occurred. Observations were also re- 

 corded on Stanley Creek and on the ponds and marshes located 

 in the main Lake Creek Valley. Waterfowl utilization was 

 also noted on the pond near Camp Creek which will be inun- 

 dated by the tailing impoundment. 



Brood information was collected on three of the nine 

 species of ducks observed (Table 11) . Of the 20 duck broods 

 recorded, 11 were common merganser, 8 common goldeneye and 

 1 mallard. Ring-necked ducks and blue-winged teal may have 

 also nested on the study area because lone drakes of these 

 species were observed as late as June. Observations of lone 

 drakes during the nesting season usually indicate that the 

 drakes have recently deserted incubating hens (Dzubin 1969). 

 Ducks observed primarily during spring and fall migration in- 

 cluded: pintail, green-winged teal, cinnamon teal, American 

 wigeon, Barrow's goldeneye, hooded merganser and bufflehead. 

 Although broods were not observed, these species have been 

 known to breed in this region of the state (Skaar 1975) . 



Waterfowl, other than ducks, which were observed during 

 the report period included: common loon, red-necked grebe, 

 horned grebo, western grebe, pied-billed grebe, whistling 

 swan, Canada goose and great blue heron. These species were 

 observed during spring and fall migration except the great 

 blue heron which was observed from April through November 

 and again in March. A great blue heron rookery consisting 



51 



