Wintering waterfowl included the mallard, common goldeneye, and 

 common merganser. The highest number of mallards observed in 1978 was 42 

 on February 24, and a high of 47 common goldeneye was observed on February 15. 



Riparian Habitat Transects 



Results of the 1978 riparian habitat transect runs are presented in 

 Table 6, along with data on the number of bird registrations made at 

 times other than transect runs. Fifty-nine species of birds were registered 

 a total of 1277 times according to sight or song. Forty-five species 

 were observed during transect runs. Sixty percent of the total number 

 of registrations were recorded in the riparian type paralleling the 

 river. This riparian floodplain area is the site of the proposed reservoir 

 and construction area. The remaining registrations were noted in the 

 coniferous forest sloping upward from the floodplain. The riparian type 

 was used by 76 percent of the species observed while the conifer type 

 was used by 51 percent of the species observed. Mapping of the territories 

 of 26 bird species revealed that 85 percent of the species used the 

 riparian type exclusively or in combination with the coniferous type. 

 Only 15 percent of the species utilized the coniferous type exclusively. 

 A total of 122 territories were identified on the transect for the 26 

 species. Eighty-seven percent of the territories occurred in the 

 riparian type or ecotone; 77 percent of these occurred exclusively in 

 the riparian type. 



In 1979, 40 species of birds and 6 species of mammals were recorded 

 during the 14 transect runs (Table 7). Of the total number of registrations, 

 6 percent were in conifers, 77 percent in riparian, and 17 percent in 

 ecotone areas; if waterfowl are excluded, the percentages are 17, 30, 

 and 53, respectively. These percentages indicate the importance of 

 ecotonal areas in terms of numbers of birds (other than waterfowl). 

 However, the relative number of species is greater in riparian habitat 

 where 28 species or 68 percent (23 species or 64 percent, excluding 

 waterfowl) were observed. This is due to the fact that larger numbers 

 of fewer species were recorded in ecotones, while smaller numbers of 

 more species were recorded in riparian habitats. The lowest number of 

 species, 14, was recorded in the coniferous areas of the tra-.sect; this 

 may be due in part to reduced detectability of birds using this dense 

 forest habitat. Of the 28 species utilizing riparian habitat, nine also 

 used coniferous and nine used ecotonal habitat. Seventeen species were 

 found in riparian habitat exclusively, while only four species were 

 found exclusively in coniferous areas. 



The yellow-pine chipmunk was very abundant on the railroad embankment, 

 and was the most commonly observed mammal on the transect runs. The 

 highest densities were in areas where coniferous forest graded into tall 

 shrubs on the south of the tracks and shrubs bordered the north side of 

 the tracks. In more open areas, the ch'-'pmunks were not as common. 

 Columbian ground .squirrels were the nexc most commonly seen mammal, and 

 a concentration of burrows was found along the south side of the railroad 



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