B08_Statement_of_Work_Attachment_2.docx

July 2024

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Northern Aplomado Falcon Surveys and Nest Monitoring in the Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands

Las Cruces District Office 1800 Marquess Street Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005 575-525-4300

Overview:

Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) surveys and nest monitoring during 2024 shall be completed within the BLM Las Cruces District (hereafter referred to as “the District”). Survey and monitoring efforts shall focus on the Simpson Draw, Mason Draw, and Nutt Grassland areas, along with other areas where falcons are sighted, or habitat is present across the district.

1) Period of Performance Base Year: 7/1/2024 – 6/30/2025 Option Year 1: 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026 Option Year 2: 7/1/2026 – 6/30/2027 Option Year 3: 7/1/2027 – 6/30/2028 Option Year 4: 7/1/2028 – 6/30/2029

2) Place of Performance Survey areas shall generally include Chihuahuan desert grassland habitat throughout the Las Cruces District with an emphasis on previously inhabited locales (Simpson Draw, Mason Draw, and Nutt Grassland). The contractor shall choose to survey other areas of high-quality habitat if time and funds allow (for example, Otero Mesa).

Project Area Map:

Typical Aplomado Falcon survey and monitoring site locations in southwestern New Mexico. (From “Aplomado Falcon Survey and Monitoring in Southern New Mexico, 2019,” report submitted to BLM-LCDO by La Tierra Environmental Consulting in July 2020.)

3) Scope of Work Field work shall potentially occur year-round, dependent on the length of nesting and/or renesting efforts. Survey areas shall generally include Chihuahuan desert grassland habitat throughout the District with an emphasis on previously inhabited locales (Simpson Draw, Mason Draw, and Nutt Grassland). The contractor shall choose to survey other areas of high-quality habitat if time and funds allow (for example, Otero Mesa). If falcons are detected, follow-up observations shall be made to determine status, behavior, and habitat use shall not be done without prior approval from the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) in coordination with a warranted Contracting Officer (CO). Where breeding behavior is detected (most consistently, Simpson Draw), nest monitoring shall occur 1-2 times per week. Allocation of time and work activities spent surveying and monitoring shall be adjusted depending on whether breeding pairs are located. Post-breeding season surveys shall be completed dependent on breeding success and availability of funds but shall be approved by the COR in coordination with a warranted CO, before any surveys are started/completed. Survey protocol shall follow the “Interim Survey Methodology for the Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) in Desert Grasslands,” dated May 20, 2003, See Attachment 7. Monitoring protocol shall follow the “Monitoring Plan for Reestablishment of the Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) in New Mexico and Arizona,” dated May 2006. See Attachment 6 Habitat assessments shall be conducted in each of the main survey areas, and in any additional locations where falcons are sighted, using the “Aplomado Falcon Habitat Suitability Assessment Protocol Worksheet” developed by Young et al. in 2004. Additional habitat assessments shall be conducted if breeding pairs are not located, and time allows for exploration of habitat in other areas of the District.

Three avian point count surveys shall also be conducted at each of the main survey locations to gauge avian prey abundance. Methods shall be consistent with those used in the North American Breeding Bird Survey Protocol. Point counts shall be performed along Northern Aplomado Falcon survey routes, not along officially established Breeding Bird Survey routes. The first point counts at each site shall take place between August 15, 2024, and September 15, 2024, the second point counts between November 15, 2024 and December 15, 2024 and the third point counts between May15, 2025 and June 15, 2025.

Grassland invertebrates are a food resource for both Northern Aplomado Falcons and their avian prey, and the availability of invertebrate prey shall be a limiting factor for falcon establishment. To establish baseline estimates of grassland invertebrate abundance and species composition, the contractor shall conduct three sweep net surveys at each of the main survey sites. Sweep net surveys at each site shall take place within the same time windows as the avian point counts (between August 15, 2024, and September 15, 2024, between November 15 and December 15, 2024 and between May 15, 2025 and June 15, 2024). Each survey shall involve using a sweep net to collect invertebrates along a 50-meter transect, identifying collected invertebrates upon completion of the transect (at least to taxonomic order), and recording any incidental observations of flying insects encountered during the survey.

Schedule and Products:

1) Performance period shall be July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.

2) Conduct driving/protocol surveys (one per month) within Simpson Draw, Mason Draw, and the Nutt Grassland area, including other areas of habitat as time allows.

3) Monitor breeding pair(s) at the Simpson Draw territory (and/or other territories if detected) to determine nesting success.

4) Observe and monitor Northern Aplomado Falcons to assess their habitat use, habitat characteristics, prey use, breeding behavior, and productivity, as appropriate (at least one visit per week and up to two visits per week during critical stages of nesting to document breeding success). Continue monitoring of young birds until fully independent of parents (approximately 30 days after leaving the nest).

5) Complete habitat assessments for the main survey areas or any locations where Aplomado Falcons are sighted using the Aplomado Falcon Habitat Suitability Assessment Protocol Worksheet.

6) Conduct point counts to monitor grassland bird community and assess avian prey abundance (three-point counts per site; point counts shall take place between August 15 and September 15, 2024 between November 15, 2024 and December 15, 2024 and between May 15, 2025 and June 15, 2025).

7) Conduct sweep net surveys to gather baseline data about invertebrate community (three sweep net surveys per site; surveys shall take place between August 15, 2024, and September 15, 2024 between November 15, 2024 and December 15, 2024 and between May 15, 2025 and June 15, 2025).

8) Collect UTM locations (NAD 1983) of all falcon sightings and nest locations.

9) All spatial information collected and included within the summary report must meet the following specifications:

a) Projection: NAD83/UTM/Units Meters

b) Vertical Datum: GSC North American 1983

c) Format: ESRI file (geodatabase)

Key Personnel and Qualifications:

Individual observers are often the single greatest source of variability in any survey effort (Verner 1985); therefore, surveyors shall be highly proficient in bird identification (particularly raptors/falcons), in correctly applying the survey methodology, and in exercising good common sense to avoid disturbing sensitive species or habitat during the course of the surveys. Nonetheless, since specific surveys for aplomado falcons may involve a disruption of normal behavioral activities such as feeding, roosting, or nesting, surveyors should possess a valid Federal permit pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B). Endangered species permit applications may be obtained by writing to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Ecological Services Division; Attn: Permits; P.O. Box 1306; Albuquerque, NM 87103-1306. If there are any questions about Federal permits, the appropriate Service Field Office or the Service's Regional Permits Office should be contacted for clarification prior to undertaking survey activities.

Government Furnished Property No government furnished property is authorized under this statement of work.

Transportation Charges All costs associated with transportation shall be paid by the contractor and included in the unit price quoted for the survey.

4) Deliverables Email survey and monitoring updates at 2-week intervals to the assigned Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and technical points of contact (TPOC).

Provide the COR and TPOC with two reports:

1. The first report shall summarize the breeding season and shall be submitted by December 31, 2024.

2. The second, final report shall summarize falcon surveys and nest monitoring, habitat assessments, and avian/invertebrate prey abundance, submitted by June 30, 2025.

Each report shall be compiled in a Microsoft Word document and shall include appendices with maps, sighting/nest location(s), all related data tables and figures, and summary observations from each survey date as appropriate. The contractor shall use the final report to provide a list of specific management recommendations and discuss a broader vision for Northern Aplomado Falcon recovery.

References:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2003). Interim Survey Methodology for the Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) in Desert Grasslands.

U.S. Geological Survey. (2023). Instructions for Conducting the North American Breeding Bird Survey. North American Breeding Bird Survey. www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/participate/BBSInstructions.pdf Verner, J. 1985. Assessment of counting techniques. Curr. Ornithol. 2:247-302.

Young, K.E. (2004). Directions to Complete the Aplomado Falcon Habitat Suitability Assessment Protocol Worksheet (Ver. 1.3). New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Young, K.E., Thompson, B.C., Hodgson, D.M., Lanser, Q.H., Lafón Terrazas, A., Gould, W.R., & Valdez, R. (2002). Characterizing and predicting suitable Aplomado Falcon habitat for conservation planning in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

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