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DEER in 44 days. The burrowing owl is considered a migratory species in portions of its range, which includes western North America from Canada to Mexico, and east to Texas and Louisiana. Burrowing owl populations in California are considered to be sedentary or locally migratory. Burrowing owls have disappeared from significant portions of their range in the last 15 years and overall nearly 60 percent of the breeding groups of owls known to have existed in California during the 1980s had disappeared by the early 1990s1. The burrowing owl is not listed under the state or federal Endangered Species Act, but is considered both a federal and state "species of special concern." The burrowing owl is a migratory bird protected by the international treaty under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and by State law under the California Fish and Game Code (CDFG Code #3513 &43503.5). Methodology Daily surveys employing the protocol designed by the Burrowing Owl Consortium (1993), currently accepted by the California Department of Fish and Game, were conducted for this project. Surveys were conducted by LFR wildlife biologists Mitch Siemens and Katherine Kobrin. Prior to performing the surveys, LFR personnel conducted a search of the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB)2 for the U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute series Tracy topographic quadrangle for reports of burrowing owls in the Site vicinity and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) document: Federal Endangered and Threatened Species that may be affected by projects in San Joaquin County3. The entire 50-acre Site was traversed on foot during the course of the initial Site visit on July 29, 2003. The focus of the initial Site visit was to locate ground squirrel burrows and other potential dwelling locations (i.e. open pipes, debris piles) that might provide shelter for burrowing owls. Previously identified burrows could then be focused on during subsequent surveys. Burrows were checked for signs indicating the presence of burrowing owls including pellets, white wash, feathers, and prey remains (see photograph # 4). Burrows found during the initial Site visit were checked for owl activity during each subsequent survey. Observation points were established that allowed the greatest visual coverage of the Site and were used during daylight portions of the surveys to scan the Site for owl activity. Simultaneous observation from these locations by the surveyors permitted 100 percent visual coverage of the Site at one time. ' The Burrowing Owl Consortium, 1993.Burrowing Owl Survey Protocol and Mitigation Guidelines. Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group. z Department of Fish and Game,2000. State of California,The Resources Agency California Natural Diversity DataBase. Regional Map of California State Listed Threatened and Endangered Animals and Plants(April 2003 Data). 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2002.http:l/sacramento.fws.gov/es/spp_lists/coListActionPage.cfm. Burrowing Owl Survey Rpt(draft3):L 3