HomeMy WebLinkAbout3184; CANNON ROAD WEST; SUMMARY REPORT OF MONITORING SURVEYS BIRDS; 1999-10-18RECEIVED
Cannon Road West Project, Reach II 2 5 2O Agua Hedionda Creek
Summary Report of Monitoring Surveys
for ENGINEERING
Least Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) DEPARTMENT
and
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)
Spring and Summer 1999
Ogden biologists conducted surveys along Cannon Road West, Reach 2 (Figure 1),
once per week, beginning on Sunday, April 25, 1999, and ending on Saturday, September
11, 1999. Eric Bailey performed all surveys except one, which was performed by Kris
Preston on Saturday, July 10. Surveys were interrupted from May 23 to June 19 due to
contractual matters. Surveys were conducted on weekends when there was no construction
activity, allowing for easier detection of bird species. Survey dates, times, and weather
conditions are provided in the attached Table 1.
A total of three territories of least Bell's vireo were detected during the surveys. No
southwestern willow flycatchers were detected. Only one vireo pair was documented to
have produced fledglings. This was the most easterly territory, located near Station 113 +
00 in May and then adjacent to El Camino Real in June and July. This pair produced at
least two fledglings, and one of the fledglings remained in the area until early September.
A disjunct patch of willow riparian forest was used by the vireo pair. The patch is to the
south of the newly constructed bridge for Cannon Road on the west side of El Camino
Real, where Agua Hedionda Creek emerges from under the El Camino Real bridge.
The other two vireo territories were located near Station 102 + 00 and 109 + 00.
The occupied willow riparian forest habitat there was separated from the construction
project boundary by a swath of freshwater marsh about 100 feet wide. Due to dewatering
pumps at the bridge construction site, thére was abundant water flow in the stream channels
in the riparian forest. These factors made surveying difficult in these vireo territories. As a
result, the male vireos were sighted only fleetingly, and it was not determined if they were
paired with a female. No fledglings were detected in these territories.
Other uncommon or notable animal species detected include two-striped garter
snake (Thamnophis hammondii), clapper rail (Rat/us Ion girostris), downy woodpecker
(Picoides pubescens), yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), yellow breasted chat (Icteria
virens), and bobcat (Fe/is rufus). The garter snake (California Species of Special Concern)
is a declining aquatic predator that has been extirpated from many of the stream courses in
San Diego County. The clapper rail (Federal and State Endangered) is restricted to the very
limited amount of salt marsh habitat available in the region. The yellow warbler, and
yellow-breasted chat (California Species of Special Concern), and downy woodpecker are
thought to have declined from reduction in willow riparian habitat and parasitism by the
brown headed cowbird. The bobcat is a top predator that occupies larger areas of
brushland, and its presence onsite demonstrates the connectivity of the site to a large area
of natural open space.
OGDEN Project Location
Cannon Road West - Reach 2 . U •• •
Biology/Cannon Road - Permits/Cannon Road West Reach 2.171-18
FIGURE
:5
Cannon Road Bird Monitoring Summary
10/18/99
Page 3
Table 1
Summary of Biological Surveys
Cannon Road West Project, Reach II
Agua Hedionda Creek
Spring and Summer 1999
DATE& WEATHER RESULTS'
TIME CONDITIONS
4/25/99 60 to 70°F LBVI at 108 +00 and at 99 +00
07:00 TO 10:15 hazy, then cloudy No WIFL detected
0 to 2 mph wind Yellow Warblers and a Yellow-breasted chat
5/02/99 60 to 62°F LBVI at 108 +00 and at 102 + 50
07:15 to 10:50 overcast sky No WIFL detected
0 to 2 mph wind Two-striped garter snake 200 ft W of 98 +00
5/09/99 65°F LBVI at 109 + 00 and at 103 + 50
08:30 to 11:00 overcast sky No WIFL detected
0 to 5 mph wind Clapper Rail at 99 +00 in marshy pond
5/16/99 55 to 60°F LBVI at 113+50 and at 109 +50
06:00 to 08:00 overcast sky No WIFL detected
no wind Yellow warbler, yellow-breasted chat, and a
male cowbird
5/23/99 60 to 65°F LBVI at 113 + 00 and at 103 + 50
06:00 tO 09:10 overcast sky No WIFL detected
o 1 mph wind Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted chat
6/19/99 62 to LBVI at108+50
07:00 to 10:00 rcast sky
rno
No WIFL detected
wind Yellow warbler, Yellow-breasted chat
6/27/99 to 70°F LBVI at 108 +00 and by El Camino Real
06:30 to 09:40 overcast to sunny No WIFL detected
0 to 2 mph wind garter snake at 111 + 00, downy woodpecker
7/05/99 65 to 70°F LBVI at 103 +50 and 109 +00 and El Camino
06:00 to 08:10 overcast to sunny Real. No WIFL detected
no wind Yellow-breasted chat
7/10/99 65 to 74°F LBVI at El Camino Real, 111+50,105+50, and
05:55 to 09:00 sunny sky 99+25
no wind No WIFL detected
Yellow warbler, Yellow-breasted chat, downy
woodpecker, and bobcat
7/17/99 67 to 75°F LBVI at 102 + 00
06:30 to 09:30 overcast to sunny No WTFL detected. Yellow warbler, yellow
0 to 2 mph wind breasted chat, downy woodpecker, and bobcat
7/24/99 70 to 73°F LBVI at 102 + 50 and at El Camino Real
08:00 to 11:00 sunny sky No WIFL detected
0 to 3 mph wind Yellow-breasted chat
7/31/99 70 to 72°F No LBVI detected
08:00 to 11:00 overcast to sunny No WIFL detected
_ lto3 mph wind
Cannon Road Bird Monitoring Summary
10/18/99
Page 4
8/07/99 70 to 75°F LBVI juvenile at El Camino Real
07:30 to 11:00 overcast to sunny No WIFL detected
0 to 4 mph wind
8/14/99 65°F LBVI juvenile at El Camino Real
07:30 to 10:30 overcast sky No WIFL detected
no wind Clapper rail at 99 +00
8/21/99 65 to 70°F LBVI juvenile at El Camino Real
07:00 to 10:00 overcast sky No WIFL detected
no wind
8/28/99 65°F LBVI juvenile at El Camino Real
06:15 to 09:00 overcast sky No WIFL detected
no wind
9/04/99 68°F LBVI juvenile at El Camino Real
08:30 to 11:00 overcast sky No WIFL detected
no wind
9/11/99 68 to 72°F No LBVI detected
08:15 to 11:00 sunny sky No WIFL detected
___ 0to5mphwind
Lb VI = least bell's vireo
WIFL = southwestern willow flycatcher