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Understory vegetation is dominated by typical annual grassland species, such as soft <br /> chess, ripgut brome, and fiddleneck. <br /> Wildlife <br /> Blue oak and interior live oak woodlands provide food, shade, shelter, and nesting <br /> habitat for many wildlife species in the project area. Many common amphibian and reptile <br /> species live in the cool, shady areas beneath oaks, including ensatinas, Gilbert's skinks, <br /> gopher snakes, and yellow-bellied racers. Several specialized wildlife species are dependent <br /> on oaks. Acorns are an important autumn food source for many species, such as acorn <br /> woodpeckers,band-tailed pigeons,western gray squirrels, and black-tailed deer (Verner and <br /> Boss 1980). Oak trees and snags provide nesting sites for red-tailed hawks and cavity <br /> nesters, such as western bluebirds and American kestrels. <br /> - A large concentration of oak snags used by woodpeckers and other cavity nesters for <br /> food storage and nests is located in the southern part of the project site. Jones & Stokes <br /> Associates biologists observed two large raptor nests in the oak woodlands, one of which had <br /> young red-tailed hawks in spring 1990 (Larrouy pers. comm.). <br /> Developed Areas <br /> Vegetation <br /> Turfgrasses, ornamental shrubs and trees, and annual ruderal weeds dominate the <br /> r. vegetation on the 4 acres of developed areas (Figure 3). <br /> Wildlife <br /> Farmhouses, barns, and ornamental plantings are attractive to several common <br /> species, including house mice, northern mockingbirds, European starlings, house sparrows, <br /> common barn owls, rock doves, and barn and cliff swallows. Ringtails have recently been <br /> observed feeding in fruit trees adjacent to one of the residences (Baker pers. comm.). <br /> Irrigated Pasture <br /> Vegetation <br /> Irrigated pasture occurs on the northern portion of the project site occupying <br /> - approximately 72 acres (Figure 3). 'Be pastures are used for cattle and horse grazing. <br /> Most of the irrigated pastures have been leveled for flood irrigation, and a minor portion <br /> of the pastures are irrigated with sprinkler systems. <br /> 12 <br />