routes were conducted on clear mornings when wind speeds 

 were less than 4.8 km per hour (3 mph) . Routes were usually 

 started 1/2 hour before sunrise and consisted of 4-minute 

 listening stops (Petraborg et al . 1953). All routes included 

 15 stops which were 400 m (1/4 mi) apart. Information from 

 this study indicates that routes conducted during the last 

 10 days in April and the first 10 days in May will cover the 

 peak of drumming activity in the Lake Creek Valley. 



During the study period, 12 3 observations of ruffed 

 grouse were made (Table 14) , Ruffed grouse were observed 

 more consistently at lower elevations than blue grouse. 

 Ninety-two percent of the ruffed grouse observations oc- 

 curred at 830 m (2,800 ft) and below, with all observations 

 occurring between 604 m (2,000 ft) and 1,460 m (4,800 ft). 

 Although ruffed grouse were more numerous than blue grouse, 

 they were found in fewer habitat types. Eighty-two percent 

 of the ruffed grouse observations occurred in the TSHE/CLUN 

 habitat type and 15 percent occurred in three Douglas-fir 

 types (PSME/PHMA, PSME/CARU and PSME/LIBO) . 



Shorebirds 



Five species of shorebirds were observed during the 

 study. Observations of shorebirds were made incidental to 

 other observations. Monthly occurrence is given in Table 9. 

 The spotted sandpiper was the most commonly observed shore- 

 bird on the study area and was found utilizing most lakes, 

 ponds and streams. Dependent young of spotted sandpipers 

 were also observed indicating that breeding does occur on 

 the study area. Other shorebirds observed during the study 

 included: common snipe, American coot, killdeer and Cali- 

 fornia gull. The common snipe was observed during the sum- 

 mer months and although breeding records were not estab- 

 lished on the study area, they are known to breed in this 

 region of the state (Skaar 1975) , as are the coot, killdeer 

 and California gull. 



Spotted sandpipers and killdeers were observed foraging 

 on the mudflats of a pond near Camp Creek. This area is 

 located on the site of the proposed tailing impoiandment . 



Other Birds 



Birds of the order Passeriformes (perching or song 

 birds) constituted 56 of the 69 birds observed in this cate- 

 gory. The other 13 species included: woodpeckers, humming- 

 birds, belted kingfisher, rock dove, mourning dove and com- 

 mon nighthawk. The monthly occurrence of these birds and 

 the cover types and habitat types in which they were observed 

 are given in Tables 9 and 10, respectively. 



69 



