Environmental checklist form

Southern torrent (Seep) salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus)

The southern torrent salamander is considered a California Species of Special Concern by the California Department of Fish and Game due to its vulnerability to the watershed impacts and habitat loss resulting from timber harvesting. The southern torrent salamander occurs in cold, well-shaded permanent streams and spring seepages in old-growth redwood, Douglas fir and mixed conifer habitats in coastal forests of northwestern California south to Point Arena in Mendocino County.

Historic references place the Southern torrent salamander in the Inglenook Fen – Tenmile Dunes Nature Preserve, as Rhyacotriton olympicus, or the Olympic salamander within the Coast Redwood Forest habitat (Brown and Dedrick, 1977). This species is now known as Rhyacotriton variegatus, or the southern torrent salamander, in this portion of its range. Fen Creek and Inglenook Creek are perennial streams that provide potential habitat for the southern torrent salamander.

Fen Creek and Inglenook Creek are perennial streams that provide potential habitat for the southern torrent salamander. However, this species is associated with cold temperature streams in coastal old-growth habitat. It is unlikely to be present in the project area, which is located in coastal dune, swale and wetland habitats. Due to the habitat requirements of the Southern torrent (Seep) salamander it is unlikely to be present. Therefore, the MacKerricher Dune Rehabilitation Project will have no negative impacts on Southern Torrent Salamander populations.

Birds

The avian species listed in Table1. List of avian species occurring or potentially occurring in the MacKerricher State Park Dune Rehabilitation Project Area presented in Taxonomic Order, are known to or may occur in and about the project area. This list includes species observed throughout the year; while migrating, during winter stop-over and/or breeding in the general area. This list complies with requirements of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Species designated with special status under the Endangered Species Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Endangered Species Act, and the California Department of Fish and Game are in bold with current status coded to a key following the list.

Pelagic and land bird species with special status which are known or likely to occur in the greater area adjacent to the project area outside of the nesting season, without sufficient habitat to support breeding in the general area or not under status during wintering occurrences were not analyzed any further. The project will result in no negative impact on these species’ populations.

Several coastal species cross through the project area while flying from coastal habitats not found within the project area but within a short distance away. To the north the rocky shoreline and seas stacks stretch from Seaside Beach northward; and to the south the headlands, rocky cliffs and sea stacks extend along MacKerricher State Park. No further analysis was needed for these species if suitable foraging or breeding habitat was not found in the project area. The project will have no negative impact on these species’ populations.

Several special status species may potentially breed and forage in the habitats adjacent to the project area but life histories do not indicate an association or dependence on the habitats found within the project area. Further, when recommended nesting buffers were placed about habitats associated with breeding, the buffers fail to include any portion of the project work area. These species may be incidentally present in the project area during project activity; however, no further analysis need be conducted for negative impacts. The MacKerricher Dune Rehabilitation Project will have no negative impact on Osprey (Pandion haliateus), White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus), Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi), Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis), Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus), Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi), Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufous), Purple Martin (Progne subis) and Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus borealis).

The Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), a Candidate species for Endangered or Threatened status and current Bird of Conservation Concern by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as well as an Endangered species by the state of California, is identified in queries for species to consider for biological analyses for projects in the Inglenook USGS 7.5 quad. This species is not included in the CNDDB queries for either Inglenook and its surrounding quads or Mendocino County. The status of the Cuckoo is associated to nesting and nesting habitat (cottonwood and/or willow galleries along riparian areas). Inglenook Fen – Ten Mile Dunes Nature Preserve does not include the habitat associated with breeding Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The project will have no impacts on Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo habitats or populations.

Common Name	Latin Name
Anatidae – Swans, Geese and Ducks
Greater White-fronted Goose^b	Anser albifrons
Brant^b	Branta bernicla
Canada Goose	Branta Canadensis
Wood Duck	Aix sponsa
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis
Harlequin Duck^b	Histrionicus histrionicus
Surf Scoter	Melanitta perspicillata
White-winged Scoter	Melanitta fusca
Black Scoter	Melanitta nigra
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck	Oxyura jamaicensis
Odontophoridae – American Quail
California Quail	Callipepla californica
Phasianidae – Turkeys
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo
Gaviidae – Loons
Red-throated Loon	Gavia stellate
Pacific Loon	Gavia pacifica
Common Loon^b	Gavia immer
Podicipedidae – Grebes
Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe	Podiceps auritus
Red-necked Grebe	Podiceps grisegena
Eared Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis
Western Grebe	Aechmophorus occidentalis
Clark's Grebe	Aechmophorus clarkii
Procellariidae – Shearwaters and Petrels
Northern Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis
Pink-footed Shearwater	Puffinus creatopus
Buller's Shearwater	Puffinus bulleri
Common Name	Latin Name
Procellariidae – Shearwaters and Petrels (continued)
Sooty Shearwater	Puffinus griseus
Black-vented Shearwater	Puffinus opisthomelas
Hydrobatidae – Storm-Petrels
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel^b	Oceanodroma furcata
Phalacrocoracidae - Cormorants
Brandt's Cormorant	Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Double-crested Cormorant^e	Phalacrocorax auritus
Pelagic Cormorant	Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Pelecanidae - Pelicans
Calif. Brown Pelican^1,x-2008	Pelicanus occidentalis californicus
Ardeidae – Bitterns and Herons
American Bittern	Botaurus lentiginosus
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias
Great Egret	Casmerodius alba
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Green Heron	Butorides virescens
Cathartidae – American Vultures
Turkey vulture	Cathartes aura
Accipitridae – Kites, eagle and Hawks
Osprey^e	Pandion haliateus
White-tailed Kite^d	Elanus leucurus
Northern Harrier^b	Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk^e	Accipiter striatus
Cooper's Hawk^e	Accipiter cooperi
Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis
Ferruginous Hawk^e	Buteo regalis
Falconidae - Falcons
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius
Merlin^e	Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon^1x1999,,ax2009,4,d	Falco peregrinus
Prairie Falcon^4,e	Falco mexicanus