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APPENDIX I - BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) State Listed: Species of Special Concern; No federal listing This fast flying, falcon-type raptor chases down and captures small birds and rodents either on or near the ground. Two of its preferred food items are the homed lark and the California ground squirrel,both of which were abundant in selected areas of the site during the November survey. One prairie falcon was seen chasing western meadowlarks in the open grassland near the northern border of the site. This bird is a cliff nester, therefore, it is most unlikely that any nesting occurs on site. Greater Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis tabida) State Listed: Threatened; No federal listing Mixed flocks of both greater and lesser sandhill cranes were observed on two occasions in the pasture north of the project site and once on the project site. The latter observation was made after the early growth of annual grass and forb species had begun to grow above the previous season's dead grass mat. It is very possible that during normal rainfall years this subspecies utilizes the Tracy Lakes basins for both feeding and roosting,however,this assumption could not be confirmed during the preparation of this document. Like most other large water birds, cranes react adversely to human presence, and their use of any foraging or roosting site is predicated on the relative absence of humans. Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata pallida) State Listed: Species of Special Concern, Priority 2; Federal Listed: Candidate 26 The loss of natural marshes and ponds, coupled with the channelization of the delta river systems, has been responsible for the loss of this reptile's shallow shoreline foraging areas, sandbar and flat bank sites where it can dig egg deposition nests. It has, therefore,declined steadily throughout California in recent years. The western pond turtle is the only aquatic turtle in California and one of only two native turtles in the state. Two specimens were observed basking on a partially sunken snag in the permanent pond. The dense aquatic vegetation here promotes numerous small fish species which supply a large part of this turtle's diet. 6 C2 = Candidate taxa for which there is biological information that indicates that proposing to list the taxa as threatened or endangered is possibly appropriate,but for which substantial data on biological vulnerability and threat(s)are not currently known or on file to support the immediate listing. 19