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5.4 Galilee Basin Survey 2012 Report.Doc Occur in Proximity to Intact Woodlands.) Waterhole Watches Were Not Used (More Useful in the Dry Season)

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5.4 Galilee Basin Survey 2012 Report.Doc Occur in Proximity to Intact Woodlands.) Waterhole Watches Were Not Used (More Useful in the Dry Season) bulk email and a handout in Appendix 1 Notices. We were agreeably surprised at the positive response. Many landholders were concerned about the impact of mining on their properties, and made us very welcome. We were given the use of showers and toilets etc. in some delightful campsites. Paola Cassini at Bimblebox even provided us with great meals. One offer of hospitality came directly from the ABC Breakfast Session, and another as a response to the first bulk email in Appendix 1 Survey personnel Sixteen volunteers from BirdLife Southern Queensland (14) and BirdLife Townsville (2) took part. No members from the BTR Recovery Team, BirdLife Capricornia or BirdLife North Queensland were available. The volunteers worked as two independent groups. See Appendix 2 The Team Survey area Initially it had been planned to do three 500m surveys and twelve 2HA Atlas plus Habitat surveys each morning, and optional incidental searches in the afternoons. It soon became apparent that organisation time and distances between sites permitted less surveys – in many cases the 2HA and Habitat surveys were omitted. Survey Sites See list in Appendix 3 Survey Sites. In the Galilee Basin, BTFs had been found in grassy, open woodlands and forests of Regional Ecosystem 10.5.5 - Eucalyptus melanophloia (Silver-leafed Ironbark) open woodland on sand plains. When it became apparent that many of the property managers of the ten properties with this RE were happy to give permission for surveys, it was decided to concentrate on these. It was found that the Stock Routes in the area were all unfenced, and largely unused, so little attention was given to them, and there was no time for the rail corridors, National Parks or Nature Refuges. The heavy rain and flooding in the week before meant several sites were inaccessible. Rain on the last Friday meant that repeat surveys of Bimblebox were truncated. The 16 volunteers were divided into 2 Groups, which met at Bimblebox for a briefing, but then travelled independently. Group 1 camped at Speculation, Doongmabulla, Lake Buchanan, and met Group 2 again at Degulla, and finally Bimblebox. Group 2 surveyed Bimblebox, then camped at Degulla, Bulliwallah and Mellaluka (properties in the flood plain of the Belyando River), and returned to Bimblebox via Degulla. Surveying Methodology Objective: To carry out bird surveys, using BirdLife Australia Atlas methods; these surveys to be permanently located for later repeat surveying. See Appendix 4 Survey Methodology. 2HA Search method. This involved searching a two-hectare area for 20 minutes by more than one observer. Bird species and numbers were be recorded. The site was usually an 80 metre radius circle. 500 Area Search method. Only bird species and not numbers are recorded at these sites. A 500 metre radius circle was used (an area of 80HA), unless the area was clearly defined by roads, fences, etc., where points may be less than 500 m from the centre. The standard survey procedure adopted was to search for birds for 1 hour and then use a stopping rule. Combined 2HA and 500m searches Along roads and stock routes three 2HA surveys were done in some 500m searches: one on the road, one around 400m to one side, and the third around 400m to the other side of the road line. Incidental searches Black-throated Finch surveys included systematic transects (along roads and tracks) through suitable habitat for sightings and the checking of flocks of other finch species. (The BTF is usually found within a few kilometres of water. It also forages in modified habitats such as grassy roadsides, rail corridors and beneath powerlines, where these 2 of 17 5.4 Galilee Basin Survey 2012 Report.doc occur in proximity to intact woodlands.) Waterhole watches were not used (more useful in the dry season). Acoustic Sensors Five of these were supplied by Jason Wimmer (Queensland University of Technology) and were deployed on Bimblebox by Dave Stewart. These battery-operated recording devices continuously recorded for up to seven days. Habitat Form Completed for most 2HA surveys. Unusual Record Report Form An Unusual Record Report Form was filled out each time a Black-throated Finch was sighted. Whole Property Lists Lists of all the birds seen on each property visited for the whole time of the visit were compiled from the individual survey records plus any incidental observations. Since the radius was over 5Km, these were not reported to the Atlas Data List were entered in Eremaea and the Atlas of Australian Birds. Surveys with Black-throated Finches were not reported to Eremaea, so that the exact Coordinates were not made public. Seven URRFs were sent to the Black-throated Finch Recovery Team and to the Atlas of Australian Birds. The sightings were accepted by the Recovery Team. Photos of birds and habitats are stored on a CD. Group 1 Results Group 1 consisted of Ross (leader)and Cathy Smith, Margaret Cameron, Maggie Overend, Grahame and Donalda Rogers. These were entered by user BirdLife Southern Queensland in Eremaea and the Atlas (user 51029). Group 1 Surveys Location Whole property - Number of 500m Number of 2HAAtlas Number of 2HA Species found Atlas surveys surveys habitat sheets Doongmabulla 79 3 4 4 Moonoomoo 83 3 3 3 Speculation 82 6 6 6 Yarrowmere 66 5 3 3 En route 2 1 TOTAL 19 17 16 Number of species found on different properties can not be compared, as there was not equal survey effort. * See also Group 2 surveys at Bimblebox and Degulla Black-throated Finches BTFs were found at 5 sites on 3 properties. Details in Appendix 5 Finding BTFs Doongmabulla at the boundary with the Moray Downs, in EPC 1080 (Waratah Coal) and 1.5 Km from EPC 854 (Adani Mining Carmichael mine). The adjacent airstrip is used by Adani 3 of 17 5.4 Galilee Basin Survey 2012 Report.doc Yarrowmere beside Yarrowmere Road. 2 sites 250 m apart. 5.5 Km from EPC 926 (Vale Coal Exploration) Moonoomoo at 2 sites 2 Km apart along the entrance track, in EPC1289 (Waratah Coal) Squatter Pigeons were often seen while we were driving round tracks and roads, and recorded on 12 surveys. Group 2 Results Group 2 consisted of Eric Anderson (leader), Diana O'Connor, Sheena Gillman, David Stewart, Neil Humphris, Judy Leitch, Greg Neill, Tony Bayliss, Ian Leach and Janet Robino. The latter two are members of BirdLife Townsville. Greg Neill assumed leadership after the first week when Eric, Tony, Ian and Judy left. The properties visited are shown in the table below. Group 2 surveyed in the eastern areas of the Galilee Basin. They spent a few days at Bimblebox and then moved north the properties named in the table below. For the Bimblebox surveys Group 1 surveyed five, and re-surveyed one, of the 80 ha sites and two of the 2ha sites. They also contributed to another 80 ha site. At Degulla some members from Groups 1 & 2 met up after surveying their sites and surveyed a new 80 ha site and re-surveyed four 80 ha sites. At all properties the birds were recorded in two types of permanent sites based on the Birds Australia Area Search Methods, located by GPS. Both sites were circular around the central GPS location. 2 ha/20 minute sites – where bird species and numbers were counted in a 2 ha area in a 20 minute period. These sites were located inside the larger 80 ha sites. For all sites an Atlas Habitat Form: For 2-ha Search Areas was filled in. 500 m radius sites - where birds species but not numbers, were noted in a 500 m radius around a point (~ 80 ha) over a period of 60 to 90 minutes. Birds were also recorded present for the property, ‘incidentally’, if they were found outside the recording areas and times described in a) and b) above and at any time while travelling to and from sites. At Bimblebox the surveys were part of a long-term bird monitoring project that had been established in 2003 and previously re-recorded in 2005 and 2011. The 94 species recorded this time compare favourably to the numbers of 74, 61 and 93 found respectively in 2003, 2005 and 2011. New species have been found during each survey with the total numbers increasing from 74 to 82, 108 and to 122 following the recent visit. With input from other visitors the number of birds now recorded for Bimblebox is 149. The Black-throated Finch was not seen during these eastern surveys except for one still to be confirmed sighting at Degulla. However from Degulla north the Squatter Pigeon was frequently found. Group 2 Surveys * Includes one site that was surveyed twice ** Includes four sites that were surveyed twice Location Whole property – Number of 500 m Number of 2 ha Number of 2 ha No. species found Atlas surveys Atlas surveys Habitat sheets Bimblebox 94 14 * 9 9 Bulliwallah 98 5 3 3 Degulla 124 12 ** 7 7 Mellaluka 103 5 4 En route 1 TOTAL 37 23 20 Acoustic Sensor Results Yet to be analysed. 4 of 17 5.4 Galilee Basin Survey 2012 Report.doc Safety Induction and Briefing A sign-on and risk assessment took place at 3 pm Sunday, 15 April at the Bimblebox camp. The preliminary assessment is in Appendix 6 Preliminary Risk Assessment. Fresh risk assessments were done at the beginning of each survey. Maps RACQ Map QDM5 Rockhampton Mackay Gladstone District Map gave a useful overview, but some unmaintained tracks shown as secondary roads required skilled driving. Topographic: 1:250 000: SF55-06 Buchanan; SF55-10 Galilee; SF55-06 Jericho.
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