APPENDIX A. Winter Bird and Mdmmal Census Results, 1980. 



SILVER BUFFALOBERRY-RED OSIER DOGWOOD COULEE. -- Location: Montana; McCone 

 Co.; overlaps boundary of Sec. 3 and 10, T20N, R45E; 47° 31 'N, 105° 58 'W; 

 AMS, Glendive (NL 13-2). Continuity: New (BBC 1977 and 1978). Size: 

 25 ha = 61.8 acres. Description of Plot: See AB 32:108 (1978). Coverage: 

 Jan. 29 - Feb. 2; two trips/day except Jan. 29, Feb. 2. Total: 8 trips 

 between 0750 and 1714 averaging 54 minutes each. Count: Snow Bunting, 1; 

 Golden Eagle, +; Sharp-tailed Grouse. +; Great Horned Owl, +; Black-billed 

 Magpie, +. Average Total: 1.4 birds. Remarks: Total, 5 species. The lone 

 Snow Bunting was seen repeatedly on the wind-swept hillside above the head 

 of the coulee. The Great Horned Owl was flushed twice from its daytime 

 roost in silver buffaloberry near the head of one of the coulee arms. A 

 group of at least 13 Sharp-tailed Grouse were frequently seen feeding on a 

 grassy ridge about 100 m from the plot; the abundance of tracks on the plot 

 indicates possible nighttime use by these birds. A dead Golden Eagle, 

 probably killed 1-2 weeks earlier, was found on the coulee bottom. Mammal 

 tracks identified include: Coyote, Red Fox, Long-tailed Weasel, White-tailed 

 Jackrabbit, Porcupine, Deer Mouse. Groups of 7 and 6 Mule Deer were seen 

 on the plot Jan. 29 and 30, respectively. 



SILVER BUFFALOBERRY-SILVER SAGEBRUSH COULEE. -- Location: Montana: McCone 

 Co.; overlaps border of Sec. 19 and 20, T20N, R45E; 47° 28 ' N, 106° 1 'W, AMS^ 

 Jordan (NL 13-1). Continuity: New (BBC 1977 and 1978). Size: 25 ha = 61.8 

 acres. Description of Plot: See AB 32:108-9 (1978). Coverage: Jan. 29 - 

 Feb. 1; two trips/day. Total, 8 trips between 0924 and 1546 averaging 39 

 minutes each. Count: Golden Eagle, +. Remarks: the Golden Eagle was ob- 

 served on Jan. 31 flying low over the plot and apparently hunting. Tracks 

 identified include: Sharp-tailed Grouse, Coyote, Red Fox, White-tailed 

 Jackrabbit, Desert Cottontail, Deer Mouse. A Porcupine was feeding on the 

 bark of a silver buffaloberry shrub within the plot on Jan. 29-30. 



SILVER SAGEBRUSH FLAT. -- Location: Montana; McCone Co.; SE quarter of 



Sec. 31, T20N, R45E; 47" 25 ' N, 106° 1 'W, AMS, Jordan (NL 13-1). Continuity: 



New (BBC 1977 and 1978). Size: 24 ha = 59.3 acres. Description of Plot: 



See AB 32:107-8 (1978). Coverage: Jan. 29 - Feb. 1; 8 trips (2/day) between 



0818 and 1455 averaging 31 minutes each. Count: Short-eared Owl, +. Remarks: 



Mammal tracks were very abundant on the plot, and included those of: Coyote, 



Red Fox, Long-tailed Weasel, Desert Cottontail, White-tailed Jackrabbit, 



Deer Mouse. The absence of Sharp-tailed Grouse tracks was surprisinq, as 



the plot supported wintering grouse during the two previous winters. 



NEEDLE-AND-THREAD -- BLUE GRAMA GRASSLAND. -- Location: Montana; McCone 

 Co.; borders center of E boundary of Sec. 25, T20N , R44E; 47° 27 ' N, 

 106° 2 ' W; AMS, Jordan (NL 13-1). Continuity: New (BBC 1977 and 1978). 

 Size: 25 ha = 61.8 acres. Description of Plot: See AB 32:109 (1978). 

 Coverage: Jan. 29 - Feb. 1; 8 trips (2/day) between 0900 and 1507, averaging 

 24 minutes each. Count: No birds seen. Remarks: Coyote and Red Fox tracks 

 were observed on the plot. 



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