SALTgN 3IM NATIOY?AL WXLDLIFE REFUGE

HARWiTIVE RWRT

Deswtmmt of the Xntmior

U.S. Fish and wildlife Servioe

~ur~u of Sport; Fisheries end Mldlif'e

Calipatria, California

C O N T E N T S-rr-rr--errPage

L GeneralA. Weather Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3. Habitat Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Food and Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

II. WildlifeA. Migratory Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B. Upland Game Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C. Big Game Animals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. Fur Animals, Predators, Rodents, and other Mammals. . .E. Hawks, Eagles, Owls, Crows, Ravens, and Magpies . . . .F. Other Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G. Msh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H. Reptiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I. Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

III. Refuge Development and MaintenanceA. Physical Development. .................

B. Plantings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .c. Collections and Receipts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. Control of Vegutatlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E. Planned Burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F. Fires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IV. Resource ManagementA. Grasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B. Haying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .c. FurHarvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0. Timber Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .'. ..E. Commercial Fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F. OtherUses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

v. Field Investigation or Applied ResearchA. Progress Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .& . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VI. Public RelationsA. Recreational Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B. Refuge Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .c. Refuge Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. Hunting.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .% Violations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A, Items of Interest ...................

B. Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .c. Signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

i

furnished by the imperial 1rrig;ation District, lmpsrial,Ckllfornia.

setween June 5 and June 15 tem~aratures2-t the refuge hesdqusrters. From %--is#understorm& contr3buted to bt mild andJt'ler Items section for story m surmor

102116114111 a

of 1230 were recordeddate OI?, winds mdt9n.joyable 6UmBr. seethxdsrstom,

% July 2'7 a light earthquake was recorded at llr!;? ~.llf,.

8. Habitat Condition_e--_. ---

1 l _._.NterEie gurfq+ce slsvation of the Salton Sea w68 -233.40 on

3erteAxw 1, 1361. Thie elevatfan when corncared to thzst re-mrded on BGsly 1, 1961, indicates the 898 level dropped .50 ofx foot during the period.

From August 31, Wj6 to August 31, 19% the elevation of theDalton Yea rmained quite stable wPth an identioal elevation-2&..!~5 recorded on these dates. Sinae that time the elmmtionof the SOP hag risen to its preaemt lmol of -23[3& refleotlngA rise of 055 of A foot.

2

3, Food and Cover__._ ---._ _ - - I-“~--Tract 5, Unit I and traot 9-13, kit 11 were planted to

inrillat during: t h e neriod. A poor orop: resulted in both of themcded are&%$@

A. Migrntory Birds

1. waterfowlA few ~intai.2, oinnamon teal, f'ulrb~s tree ducke and red-

Qads were seen along the sea fronts early in the neriod and onthe pandad areas in August. IIuddy ducks v.vre present In theiroustomary numbers on ths adjacer,t WWA ?ronts.

The first fklvous tree &&a wera noted on f&y 6 on tr%ot 5,Bnit I. t?r! May ?, $21 filvoue were observed on this tract, Rythe end of the mont? our #big Poot.e,d’ friends had loft therefuge as the pC!ed arms www being dried up -prior to resnedingthe millet prop.

Z?@dheads WOMB, observed by refbgs personnsl on both unita during%y end Jum3, howevar never mare tkn 15 or ?O birds were seen2t any ona time,

Several pairs of' Blue-nia,;ad teal were observed along Trifoljumgrain #l during the period.

Zigrant pintails -zere noted during the seoor,d WCPZ& of Auppst.The State Wister area estimated 2530 pintails utilizing their dryjnrley by the end of the period*

2. Other ‘Siatsr and Ikrsh BirdsOn June 27, the writer and asohanic Steer Fade an observation

trip to the egret end ibis oolony looated on the BCW.Y River delta.‘l~ny young egrets wore noted on thie date. 3hile the ibis hadmt startsd rrc-sting it wag wldmt that tlzey intended to do eo.:% regret that we were not able to m&e rnnthcr trip to the nestingcolony, but t;hc number cf young ibis observed in the leech fi+l-?sindicates & swocessf'ul hatch. k

-The first wood ibis (lFjr>) were observed on Vail 2A lateral justez.bt of refuge Wnit IL, on tedtmsday July 5. An satimtited 9-k:?f 500 birds was mted on July 17. Ona of the last sightings ofthe period disclosed 332 t%ood ibis just south of the Brandt feedlzt three miles east of Unit IX.

Ctllle and Term

Blaok-necked atilta found the levee road on the sou,ti sidesf t;3;*:;-dmmto their liking for nesting aotivitim.?hs first stilt e$~r were found on May 21,

Three young. Eon~prtes--- -- @ Gulla were observed by Hr. %.x?ss On trwt2-13, unit If--

Avocets were evident on the sea-fronts snd ref%,ss areas through--.- --out the rer:ort period.

k f&y IL, Traotor 'Sseretor Barros noted the firat plr of wMtu--dnged doves at tha refuge headquarters.

::I. thaew~ obeewei’, wkite-rizys ’ near gates FjE! and 13') on TrifoliumCanals 13 and 10 on the 9th of lilay.

Late in the period white-%::inp were obexved between Unit 11 and%he town of Calipatria by rsfuge ~ersonnol travaling back and forthto work.

Few pheasants wigrt: seer? during the Feriod. Several broods of twoand three birds were ob8ewed adjeoent do 'finit II. 311s brood of%o birds ms sighted on Unit f,along the Trifoliurn 13 Canal.

Osmbefs ’ quail were numerous during the report r-eriod. This looksto be one of their best produation years. @qny broods af 15-1'1bfpdq were seen near the Vail 3 Canal an Unit II and Trifolitm! 13Canal mar Un3t X.

:~n July 7 the writer banded 11 four week old quail and releasedtn gz% a:i nub-headqpmrters, Unit II, Tha birds m?mvs remined inor near the yard at Quarters 80, 1 since they mre released.

fir AnilWAlE, Predator6 Rodents and othar Ymmals----.-.-A. _."-.---.--- _ - __~__- -_ I

Ii0 ohanga in 8tatuS noted.

Hmk3, S&es, Owls, Crqwa, Fkxvsrtra and Xagpiea3urroia;ing Owl8 wore r:resent in their custommy

Other Birds

numbers.

:)n Uay 8 one semi-palmated plover SW rescued from trsct 5, Unit Iz.nd plsoed in the observation rey. After 8eVeml days the birdF&d recovered enough to fly out of the pen,II2ay 5 natrked the errivkrl of~eay Qusrtere MO. 1 througho

They were observed

sir-da comon to the ares during thir period were present in norm1;xi3bers.

Tith the oomplstian of the Red Till-Calipat boat lsnd?ng fishingweomre continued heavy through the sumer.

Limits of 6 Comina weighing 4-a pxmds xere checked in 1-y State'ardena post every day of the rerort period. Several fish wei@ingfn at 17 and 10 rounds were caught south-west of Red Hill.

Reptiles

Several rz~tlesas2ea were killed on tlnlt I. '3~ "big fellovsft had‘-3 rattles.

Direase

aona.

5

t&m mile of ditah was olewred of salt osdars md bumed on UnitIi,

The tridge at traot S-13, bit IX, Vail jk Canal wau rebuilt.

he-half nils of ditah MS robuLlt on the sotAh aids of tmct C,unit J. One+-fourth mile of new ditch wa8 built sn tact 6, Unit II.

4 ohlarinntor wa$ attwhed to the reeervoir and tank at kit XI,for purif-ing water used at Qmrters 80, 1.

-?I@ mah rmk, oil hoitge, grain shed, shop and fire barrel16 atUnit XI xre painted during the mnth of June.

The generator house, oil k?wse 6x1~3 outside of the office wereyainte3 dur'lng the pariod.

Transmission and raw unit on the TD 18-182 w%re rebuilt during%a report reriod.

The operation of yeparing land for planting YV'EM oontlnued throughthe Teriod.

B l Pfentinp ,a s

3a &yil 17 rzeaoaked millet ww planted from rtn sirplane on-&e 630 acre im~ilndasnt loce.ttd on treat S-13, Unit 41. Due tokit&h westerly winde, however, this amp wa$ lost.

6

Tract 5, Unit I VW seeded in the same mmer OR kky 1, with tractS-13 being reseeded on May 4. Nigh wsaterly wf;lde tllrsugh thereaSnder of the month urwooted the young mill&, nr&ing It neoesscry_cc “FJ the il?Ipounnrcents UF.

Tract 8-13, Unit 11 WWB reseeded for the IAnird t9me on August 10,This tmot was planted. by drflltng and braadsasting 20 pmnds ofseed per Bore* A fair grow@ of millet scattered aver the 30 awei+xu&nant WES up by the end of the period.

2r ~~Trees and Shrubs

lona

3. Ued Herbaoeoua Plants=-wne

i+* Ciiltivatad Crops.Gbuleted belcm are the orop that wffl be available to the

birds during *he 61-62 wintering; wmono !3es maps for loaation).

7). Control of VeRet4atioa3one

7

zsj, Depredat$on

Jane

B. ‘?ehge BSs itcrs--_.--.s%iferal - Cliff Matfrews, Conservation OPfToer, Stats FLah b: Game,

*ntaot .

!3tm?ral - G-U Elder, Cootact.

Several - RoLf @all, Manager, fmp=lal Waterfowl ?4anapmant Area,contaat.

~--2!+61 - &ma A. Yason, %,A.AWS, La Jolla, California, Birding.

& 4-41 - Kirby RI Idorgan, Supervisor, Burrego State M-k, Gontaot.

8

De Hunting

zn Aativltles under this heading*

Ecld, Pavid Howard101 nI?n St., Imcm-ial

Landes ‘ Garland, ‘Phsodore12119 Grsystone Ave.lowalk

johnson, Catisrine Amy?~%?6 Alto Lane, Stanton

Childers, Carroll O'Dell724 Aurora Dr., El Centro

Takinc E~urnln~ DoveClwed Season

Angling without Rangling etaq~

Angling Without aangling stamp

Angling with mrethan 1 line

Angling with moretmn 1 line

Angling withoutCtallf‘, angling license

Angling without license

Four SAFETY meetings wre) hsld during the repr% period. Re meetingin Kay conait~teb of a film 'Farm Tractcr SAFETY" an& a discues4on bnCivil Defense. SAPE~ xeseager were discussed and leave s&x?duk32rmgeci ?t the June MWti3~. July faund the staff discussine, SAFEMating practices and viewing the fibs 'The Perfect Crine". ?%tAugust areetllng consisted cf twc fibs, "Farm PetrokWI SkF?Im" a.!!"DAY in Crurt".

?he station wag free frD= accidents c?~uring the period, 824 dayselapsing since the last lost-time aaoident.

9

Zone l,fSW squatter families living along the river Prom Duviawin to the I&3xica:: border are affected*

Sllistor alao stated that any payments roceivod in paat by the&s,riculture Depsrbent must be returned ati they r?ust agree -oCe.0 aoc5pt more ray??eJnt*

***IF************

Caliristria, ~&me 16 - The GfP!.CiRl O~%xh#T& of the F&d Ml1 3oatLaunching Rwcg is set for Saturday, June 2&h, acoorbing to

Lfeyd Allen, p-&dent of' tho Cnlimt Feat Club. This arpnitatioatill be in charge of all f'estivitfea for #e day.

%sti*aitIers will.&art at 8 a.m and will include R ribbon cuttingcerezzo~y, a fishing derby, a shuck wit&on breakfast and othwrctivlti.%s .

***********++**++*

Cali~atria, August 3 - knbers of" the Galipt Boat Club, withLloyd Allen b;a president, will meet tomarrow, Friday evening;tM+llims Cafe to make preliminary arranpments to form aSea-Air rescue unit for zatro1Zing saltan :Saa0

%ed for acl~ie qualified $136 exgM@noed help has been broughtcut by the death, over the weekend, of am man aeught in asudden storm &nd athers ah lost on the saa but rescued mdseved l

T%le tha Cal-T*Pat Boat Club is me of Calinatria'a newestorganiza*iocs, it now )rea mre than a hundrsd rmnbema md ieaotiSve 3.n everitrj at tics 3al)nn Sm.

Brawley, July 18 - %va steam wells were apensd within 40 milesof sati ather here lautweek, one *n Callptria and the other justseuth of I;3%Xic3Rli.

On July 8, a pa-thernnal test well, drilled earlier this par byC,X. G’?t”;:aill, Jr, md Assoaiates, ogansd up near Red Hill t= y-or!uuelive etwmi, hot water and ninerrals.

The “LX. i31W.ll, Sportsman Ho, 1” as the Calicat well is named,showed a consCttnt tc?mgsrsture of PO degrees and preasure of 135pound0 per square inah, crcoording to Edward TI Anderson, generalauvWntendont and resident engineer.

hea Yarsa, young engineer tie headed the &xican projectt aaid thewull oapp& & months of searching and drilling.

%xiuan authwitiee hare to harness the steam to produce electricity?or Baja California+

Clifford Clyde drillZng oontraotar from Calsxico, who served asdrilling supE;rvlS3or, eathated the Yexicali wells steem pressurez;?: 125 to ly pounda per square inch. Ta;npraCure ill about 325desE;re@s ,

*****+****++++****

=. i

Pioneers k&morfal Hospital was forcmd to atitaki on emergtsnoyelectrfa gowor for (L time Thurad~y~

SIGNATIRE PAGE

Submitted bye

Approved, Region81 Office:

Date:

(Sigaeture)

cj

. . .

c- (7)Total Days Uw : Peak Nu&w : Total Production

: :: :: :

swens Principal feeding areas

DucksTV i *---p$- ;

Principal nesting areas

coots : :mpE*mam

ReportedIry

0)

(2)

( 3)

(J.9

(5)

( 6)

( 7)

INSTRUCTIONS (See Sets. 7531 through 7534, Wildlife Refuges Field Hmml)

Species:

Weeks ofReporting Period:

Estimated WaterfowlDaysUsar

Production:

TotalDaysUse:

Peak Namberi ?&&mum number of waterfowl present on refuge during any census of reporting period.I

Total Production:

In addition to the birds listed on form, other species occmring on refuge during thereporting period should bs added in appropriate spaces. Special attention should be givento those species of local and national significance.

EstGnated average refuge populations,

Average wee- populations x number of days present for each species.

Est3mated number of young produced based OI? observations and actual counts on representativebreeding areas, Brood counts should be made on two or more areas aggregating lC$ of thebreeding habitat. Estimates having no basis in fact should be omitted.

A summary of data recorded under (3).

A summary of data recorded under (4).

.

Interior Duplicating Section, Kashingtoq D. ,-.1953

(1) --L---JI

III. Doves and Pigeons:- - - - -1Mourning doveWhite-winged dove

IV. Predaceous Birds :Golden eagleDuok hawkHorned owlMagpieRavenCrow

(1) Species:

I

(2) First Seen:

(3) Peak Numbers:

(4) Last Seen:

(5) Production:

(6) Total:

IN+.-DUP"'SEC., WASH., D.C.

Reporte

INSTRUCTIONSUse the correct names as found in the A.O.U. Checklist, 1931 Edition, and list group in A.O.U.order. Avoid general terms as llseagullll, “tern”, etc. In addition to the birds listed onform, other species occurring on refuge during the reporting period should be added in appro-priate spaces. Special attention should be given to those species of local and nationalsignificance. Groups : I. Water and Marsh Birds (Gaviiformes to Ciconiiformes and Gruiiformes)

II. Shorebirds, Gulls and Terns (Charadriiformes)III. Doves and Pigeons (Columbiformes)IV. Predaceous Birds (Falconiformes, Strigiformes and predaceous

Passeriformes)The first refuge record for the species for the season concerned.

The greatest number of the species present in a limited interval of time.

The last refuge record for the species during the season concerned.

Estimated number of young produced based on observations and actual counts.

Estimated total num ,* of the species using the ref ; during the period concerned.. l

'79858

Form NR-2(April 1946)

-a(1)

Species

Common Name

@m&em' ropril

UPLAND (LIME BIRDS 1 1613

(2)Density

Cover types, totalacreage of habitat

kresperBird

*a* 3

a

,’

II

IA

!1z

i

(3)Young

?roduced

80

9 Q

(4)RZO

Percentage

T ReiL.s

bmc?!1

I

i

(6) (7)Total Remarks

Estirmtednumber Pertinent information notusing specifioally requested.Refuge List introductions here.

:xmx3a (2)

l a meu uo mu⌧o 3 ~Oa ☺☺OO a sfl :S3133dS (I)

34750 UNITED STATESForm NR-lB DEPARTMENTOF THEINTERIOR(Dxxmber J-956) Fish and Wildlife Service

$ATERFOWL UTII~ZATION OF REFUGE: HABITAT_m**--W.-w -v---IRefuge bIton bea 61

-1____1---- Fcr V-month period ending August 31, ly,,Reported by Bea. B* Crabb pjt,le w@P Gg;(rr_c*<--- v-m-.-----s-s-------

(1) (2) : (31 Ud (5)Area or Unit Habitat B BreedLngDesignation qpe AcrG s Use-days Population Production

c-mw.!..-- I .- -w----s--

Crops 455 : Ducks bT=,pUpland >?%- . Geese --w w--e. W.-l__-

VaI!i! f II__-- --_ -w-c----- I--

---- -p-

EJI? IX Marsh ----- - -

Bo &krmgmat Marsh Swans __c-- - -Water ---I-Totalz ; pm;; - - -

-.-- -WV.., wO*n~6J~COEPOb*tC*5*,~,~~~~~~~~~,;~,~~~~crops r Ducks

TJpland. w -m-w -__c_wwf 46

+ GeeseMarsh .-'---- 1 swans -.--

lo -geAa@nt Water ‘ CooL5 -- -.--..--. --_ITotal ---%f+- c Total - - - - - - - - - --_I- --7m -I__ -.w---Q * B at * 3 ,a 9 u * R :. ? E 1 3 4 * rl q t * , .o 0 I F * :. <, 6 .;, *, 7 'E , 5 , pCrops DucksU p l a n d 1 Geese ___c - - -Marsh F Swans - -_I-- p---wWater I coots __r--T o t a l - - - * Total w-e Wd ,-

- - - ..-- - -0 c B 0 c Ip e C' ') G 0 * 1*, Y + P 3 + 'i * P t Y * 1 G.2 ,*,,,-l. * * yCrops 4 DucksUpland -r Geese __"M a r s h - - - S w a n s - - - - - - .w-tWater . Coots - - I _ - - -Total --c__ Total --- 1 -F - -E n. 4 * 'a 8 e Q c 0 P * (9 0 * t 01 ,, 0 * 0 3 1 * a i 9 0 , p * 'I 3 G. 2 , * 0 *Crops -7 DucksUpland _*_-- + Geese ----w.m --,Marsh swans -_I_ --I-cWater z coots F"- -Total --.- e Total - - - _cm_-- w-m

- - ---m--r -.-_R6WHlZh wiw droptjsd frasp the lewo durb&?%d@r*pb8 =*

--c-m

A11 tabulated information should be based on the best availabletechniques for obtaining these data. Estimates having no foundation infact must be omitted. Refuge totals for all categories should be providedin the spaces below the last unit tabulation. Additional forms should beused if the number of units reported upon exceeds the capacity of one page.This report embraces the preceding 12-month period, NOT the fiscal or - -cal&&r year, and is submitted annually with the May-August narrativereport.

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Area or Unitr A geographical unit that, because of size, terraincharacteristics, habitat type and current oranticipated management practices, may be consideredan entity apart from other areas in the refuge censuspattern. 'Estimated acreage of each unit should beindicated; I

Habitat: Crops incIude,all cultivated croplands such ascereals and green forage, planted food patches andagri&ltural row crops; upland consists of alluncultivated terrain lying above the plant com-munities requiring seasonal submergence or acompletely saturated soil condition a part of eachyear, and'includes lands whose temporary floodingfacilitates u&e of non-aquatic type foods; marshextends from the upland community to, but nrincluding, the water type and consists of therelatively stable marginal or shallow-growingemergent vegetation type including wet meadow anddeep marsh; and the water category includes allother water areas inked most or all of thegrowing season and extends from the deeper edgeof the marsh zone to strictly open-water areas,embracing such habitat as shallow playa lakes,deep lakes and reservoips, true shrub and treeswamps, open flowing water and maritime bays,sounds and estuaries. Acreage estimates for eachtype should be kept as accurate as possiblethrough reference to available maps supplementedby periodic field observations and should agreewith unit acreage,,

.

I (3) Use-days: Use-days',,is computed by multiplying weekly water-fowl population figures by seven*

(4) Breeding An estimate of the total breeding population ofPopulation: each category of birds for each area or unit.

(5) Production: Estimated total number of young raised to flight age.

Interior Duplicating Section, Washington, D, C,19%8694

28

.

, ,.

-.

Green Barley

Mill&

AUG . 6, .

AUG . G, .

!

1,’

,.‘.’ ;

., ‘!

.

L