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Clrel( WSeptember 17, 1997

USFWS

Subject:

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E - M n r t : P C R @ l o T . N E T

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Results of Focused Surveys for Califomia gnatcatcher for the Newport BanningRanch Property

Dear

This letter report summarizes the methodology and findings of surveys for the Califomia gnatcatcher(Polioptila califurnica) conducted by Planning Consultants Research (PCR). The surveys wereconducted to determine the presence and distribution of the Califomia gnatcatcher within the studyarea for Neyp"g{_rylgrngRanch. Survey area location maps with gnatcatcher sightings are enclosedto provide the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with detailed locality information.

STUDY AREA

The Newport Banning Ranch property is located on the United States Geological Survey (USGS)

7.5'Newport Beach Quadrangle, in portions of the southwest quarter of section l, T63, R10W. Theproperty is adjacent to the City of Newport Beach, south of the City of Costa Mesa, in anunincorporated portion of southem Orange County as shown in Figure l, Newport Banning RanchProject Location Map. The property is located east of the mouth of the Santa Ana River where it

discharges into the Pacific Ocean. The property extends south from Banning Street to a residentialcommunity bordered by Pacific Coast Highway, as shown in Figure 2, Newport Banning RanchProject Site Map. The property is bordered on the east by the Santa Ana River and on the west bya residential area of Costa Mesa.

The 300-acre "Newport

Banning Ranch property is primarily comprised of a flat lowland areaadjacent to the Santa Ana river channel and, to the east, rolling hills and fields atop Newport Beach

Mesa. The property is bordered to the north by din roads extending west to the river channel from

the end of 19tr Street, to the east by residential Costa Mesa, to the south by Pacific Coast Highway,

and to the west by the Newport Shores residential community and United States Army Corps of

Engineers property adjacent to the river channel. Both the lowland and the upland areas are

currently producing oil and contain derricks, pipelines, buildings, and uncovered storage areas forpipes and machinery, as well as a network of dirt access roads. Undeveloped, upland areas support

southern coastal bluff scrub and non-native grassland; undeveloped lowlands support riparian

vegetation, non-native grassland, and some southem coastal bluff scrub.

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The westem half of the property partially is developed as an operational oil field with remnant

riparian vegetation in undisturbed or periodically inundated areas. This area is transversed by a

network of dirt roads functioning as levees, pipelines, oil derricks, and several structures.

The eastern half of the property is occupied by an elevated marine tenace and coastal bluffs. The

bluffs are steep to the south along Pacific Coast Highway and more gradual to the north. Several

drainages cut into the mesa and drain to the lowlands along the river. The two major drainages, one

to the south and the other to the north, support thick riparian habitat. The mesa is generally

composed of gently rolling hills and fields, the latter showing evidence of past clearing/grading

activities related to oil field operations.

PCR conducted Califomia gnatcatcher surveys on approximately 160 acres of southern coastal bluff

scrub within the study area. Specifically, this included all habitat potentially supporting California

gnatcatchers that would be directly or indirectly affected by the physical impacts of the project.

VEGETATION

The Netvport Banning Ranch study area supports nine major plant communities: southem coastal

bluff scrub, mulefat scrub, southem black willow forest, alkali meadow, coastal brackish marsh,

southern coastal salt marsh, annual grasslands, disturbed areas, and developed areas. A description

of these vegetation communities is given below. All plant community nomenclature conforms to

Preliminaqv Descriptions of the Terrestrial Natural Communities of Califomia (Holland, 1986 and

1992 update), A Manual of California Veeetation (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolfe, 1995), and

Habitat Classification System Natural Resources Geographic Information System (GIS) Project

(Gray and Bramlet,1992) unless otherwise indicated.

Southern Coastal Bluff Scrub

This upland plant community (I.{atural Diversity Data Base (NDDB) Element Code 31200) is

characterized by drought-deciduous, low, prostrate, woody and./or succulent subshnrbs. Southern

coastal bluff scrub typically occurs on cliffs adjacent to the ocean. Canopy coverage on-site ranges

between 50 and 80 percent and averages two to three feet in height. Dominant species on-site

include California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Califomia bush sunflower (Encelia

californica), California buckwheat(Eriogonumfascicttlatum), white sage (Salvia apiana), coyote

brush (Baccharis pilularis). and bladderpod (lsomeris arborea). Associated, less cornmon species

include coastal prickly pear cactus (Opuntia littoralis), coast cholla (Opuntia prolifera),

lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), and Mexican elderberry (Sambucus mexicana). Herbaceous

perennials occurring in this community including corethrogyne (Corethrogtne filaginifolia), rce

plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), and everlasting (Gnaphalium spp.). This plant assemblage

also conforms closely to several series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolfe (1995) including the

California sagebrush series and Califomia encelia series. This community is considered a CDFG

highest inventory priority communit.v.

Southern coastal bluff scrub occurs throughout the Ner.rport Banning Ranch studv area. Most of the

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southern coastal bluff scrub is relatively undisturbed and would be considered moderate to highquality habitat for Califomia gnatcatchers.

Mulefat Scrutr

Mulefat Scrub (corresponds to NDDB Element Code 63310) occurs in the southwest, lowlandportion of the site in drainages that cut into the coastal bluff faces. This community is dominatedby dense stands of mulefat (Baccharis sclicifulia) with lesser amounts of willow species (Salrx spp.).Associated species include mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana), castor bean (Riclrzus commums), andother typical riparian species. Scrub vegetation also conforms, in part, to the several Mulefat seriesdescribed by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolfe (1995).

Southern Black Willow Forest

This multilayered forest (conforms in part to Southem Willow Scrub NDDB Element Code 63320)occurs in the largest drainage on-site in the upland mesa above Pacific Coast Highway and inscatterqd lowland areas on-site. The community is dominated by black willow (Salix gooddingii),with s6me red willow (Satix laevigata). There is a second canopy layer of arroyo willow (Satixlasiolepis), and mulefat (Baccharis saticifutia). The urderstory is composed of mugwort(Artemisiadouglasiana), ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya), mustard species (Brassica spp.), cocklebur(Xanthium strumarium), sandbar willow (Solix extigua), castor-bean (Ricinus communis), treetobacco (Nicotiana glauca), and stands of the highly invasive giant reed (Arundo donm). This plantassemblage also conforms closely to several series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolfe (1995)including the Arroyo willow series and Black willow series.

Alkali Meadorv

The Alkali Meadow plant community (corresponds to NDDB Element Code 45310) occurs in lorv-lying alkaline or saline soils (NDDB Element Code 45310) throughout the lowland area in thewestem half of the site. It is dominated by annual and perennial hydrophytes such as tumblingoracle (Atriplex rosea), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), white sweetclover (Melilotus albus),common sunflower (Helianthus annttus), western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya). cocklebur(Xanthium strumarium), pickleweed (salicornia spp.), alkali heath (Frankenia grandifolia), andalkali-mallorv (Sida leprosa) as dominants or sub-dominants.

Southern Coastal Salt Marsh

This community (conesponds to NDDB Element Code 52120) occurs in the lowland area in thewestern half of the site. It consists of halophytic perennial herbs and low shrubs and is locationallvrestricted to areas of soils that are high in salt. Southern coastal salt marsh is dominated by saltbush(Atriplex spp.) and saltgrass (Distichlis spicara). Neither this community nor the on-site coasralbrackish marsh retain any connection to tidal influences. and receive onl-u- precipitation and overlandfreshwater florv tiom the north and east.

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Coastal Brackish Marsh

Several small areas that may be characterized as coastal brackish marsh (corresponds to NDDBElement Code 52200) are present in lowland areas of standing or seasonally-impounded brackishwater and alkaline soils. Cattail (Typha spp.) and bulrush (Scirpus spp.) are co-dominant throughoutthis communif. This plant assemblage also conforms closely to several series described by Sawyerand Keeler-Wolfe (1995) including the Canail series.

Annual Grassland

Annual grassland (corresponds to NDDB Element Code 42200) is interspersed with southem coastalbluff scrub throughout the property and is dominant (up to 90 percent cover) along the mesa top inthe southeast portion of the site. It grows in deep, well-developed soils on gentle slopes and flats,at mostly low elevations. It is dominated by slender wild oats (Avena barbata), ripgut brome(Bromus diandrus), red brome (Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens), black mustard (Brassica nigra),dove weed (Eremocarpus setigerus) and red-stem filaree (Erodium cicutarium)-

Distut'Led Areas

Ruderal vegetation occupies disturbed areas where native vegetation has been disturbed or removedand recolonization by introduced species or exotic plants has occurred. It occurs along the edges ofon-site dirt roads and throughout the upland areas on-site wherever oil derricks or other disturbancesare located. Typical species include non-native grasses, Hottentot-fi g (Carpobrotus edulis), Russianthistle (Salsola iberica), pampas grass (Cortaderia atocamenily', srveet fennel (Foeniculumvulgare), black mustard (Brassica nigra), and rhistle species (Cirseum spp.).

Developed Areas

This designation encompasses all on-site the oil derricks, strucfures, paved areas and access roads.Developed areas are concentrated in the northem portion of the mesa (upland) and scatteredthroughout the lowland portion of the property.

METHODOLOGY

Surveys for the California gnatcatcher were conducted during the 1997 breeding season by RubenRamirez (PRT No. 780566). Methods employed were in conformance with U.S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS) Coastal California Gnatcatcher Presence/Absence Survev Guidelines, issuedFebruary 28.1997. Accordingly, three (3) surveys were performed no less than seven (7) days apart,between the hours of 0600 hours and 1200 hours, within all portions of the study area containingsouthern coastal bluff scrub and mulefat scrub habitat. Weather conditions during surveys weregenerally conducive to a high level of bird activity. Surveys rvere suspended whenever conditionsbecame less than favorable. This included periods of rain, excessive wind. or exceedingll,. hot orcold temperatures. Temperatures during surve].'s ranged betr.veen 60 deerees Fahrenheit.and 82

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degrees Fahrenheit- Skies ranged from clear to 100 percent overcast with winds below Beaufortscale 2' Two survey plots of 80 acres were delineated on an aerial photograph of the site to ensurethorough coverage of all on-site habitat.

In addition to weather conditions and survey time periods, field investigators recorded dominantplant species and percent shrub cover. The cactus wren and other sensitive bird observations werealso recorded in the same manner as california gnatcatchers.

on-site southern coastal bluffscrub habitat totals approximately 160 acres. 2 plots of approximatelyeighty acres each were delineated on an aerial photo in order to facilitate thorough survey coverageof bluff scrub habitat in its entirety throughout the properfy. The field investigators slowly walked.over each plot' stopping at approximately 200-foot intervals, uttering pishing sounas and playing atape of recorded California gnatcatcher vocalizations. Taped vocalizations were used unlessgnatcatchers were detected upon arrival in each habitat. The tape was played for several seconds ateach interval, followed by a brief pause to listen for a response. All gnatcatcher observations andvocalizations, were recorded and their locations mapped in the field onto l-inch :400 feet aerialphotographs' The territorial boundaries of observed gnatcatchers were mapped. Surveys for thecoastdl cactus v'tren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus),as well as, observations ofother specialstatus wildlife species were conducted simultaneously with the California gnatcatcher surveys.

Surveys were conducted on July 1", 8d', 13d', and22"d,and August I ln and 13,h, lgg7. Reproductionand nesting surveys were not conducted.

Results

A total of eighteen (18) territories of gnatcatchers were obsen'ed on the properry during the courseof the surveys' The locations of the sightings are indicated in Figure 3, Gnatcatcher Sightings andTerritories' Gnatcatchers responded to the tape or pishing and were observed in areas ofapproximately 80 to 100 percent cover. Gnatcatchers were observed most often in coastal bluffscrub'habitat, but were also cornmon in disturbed areas and mulefat scrub, and occasionally in annualgrassland/coastal bluff scrub areas. Most observations occurred on the relatively dry south- and east-facing slopes' Gnatcatchers were also occasionally found on north- and west-facing slopes.Gnatcatcher #2 (female gnatcatcher and unknown) and gnatcatcher #4 (pair of gnatcatchers) wereobserved in highly disturbed areas with sometimes less than one acre of suitable habitat. dominatedby mustard, non-native species. some California bush sunflower, and scattered myoporum(Myoporum loetum)- Gnatcatcher pairs #5, #6, and.#l I were observed bordering the riparianhabitat of mulefat scrub. Gnatcatcher pairs #17 and#18 were observed in mulefat scrub with somecalifomia buckwheat- castor-bean, California bush sunflower, and fennel scattered about. (checknumbers) Gnatcatcher pair #15 was observed adjacent to noisy Pacific Coast Highway dominatedby California bush sunflower, scattered bladderpod and mulefat. and surrounded by disturbed non-native grasslands. Gnatcatcher pairs #7,9. 12. l4,and 16. were observed w.ith a single fledgling.Gnatcatcher pairs #10 and #13 r.vere observed with two fledglin,es. Finall-,-. territorial defense rvas

observed betr'veen two male gnatcatchers (gnatcatchers #9 and l0).

During two of the three surveys, asingle banded juvenile California gnatcatcher was observed onJune 22"d and August l|.e,1997, in southern coastal bluffscrub habitat dominated by Califomia bushsunflower, California buckwheat, bladderpod, and coastal prickly pear cactus. On the firstobservation, the gnatcatcher was seen with a red/white (red over white) band on the left leg. Noadditional band were observed due to the sporadic movement of the bird. On the secondobservation, the gnatcatcher was observed for fifteen minutes before leaving. It had a single metalband on the right leg and a red/white band over a dark green band on the left leg. On both visits, thebird was not relocated. In this are4 there are two (2) pairs of gnatcatchers who occupy this habitat.The banded gnatcatcher was observed in the proximity of both male gnatcatchers without

confrontation. During the first observation, the banded gnatcatcher was observed within four inchesof a female of one of the resident pairs without confrontation. The banded gnatcatcher was notrelocated during four additional surveys. Approximately six (6) brown-headed cowbirds wereobserved on the property during the course ofthe surveys.

Should you have any questions regarding the methodology or findings in this report, please do nothesitage to call.

Sincerelv-

RESEARCH

S. Ramirez- Jr.,0

SeniorWildlife Biologist/GIS Analyst

PLANNING CONSULTANTS

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