BASQ BIRD SURVEY of PUNGALINA – SEVEN EMU SWAMP 12 Days Bulletin 1

BASQ BIRD SURVEY OF PUNGALINA – SEVEN EMU SWAMP 12 Days Bulletin 1

Survey Time

Monday 25th June to Saturday 6th July

Safety Induction and Briefing

On the 25th June at around Midday a briefing session about the visit and advice about the risks etc while on the property will occur.

After lunch and the initial briefing, in the afternoon we will do some survey points close to the first campsite.

Background

Pungalina-Seven Emu is located within the traditional homelands of the Garawa who have native title claims over the Sanctuary. Pungalina and Seven Emu are pastoral leases: AWC has acquired Pungalina outright, and has entered into a partnership with Frank Shadforth, a Garawa man, to establish a conservation reserve over half of the Seven Emu property. AWC conducts fire management on Pungalina-Seven Emu in collaboration with the Garawa Rangers and Frank Shadforth, and both have participated in AWC's ecological survey work.

Camps

There are at present four camps being set. The main camp is at the Pungalina Homestead (16°43'15.51"S; 137°24'55.97"E) , while the three out-camps will be established at Cycad Creek (16°27'25.29"S; 137°34'22.67"E), Calvert River Mouth (16°17'54.59"S; 137°43'52.19"E) and Skeleton Creek (16°19'36.91"S; 137°27'31.39"E).

Survey The plan for the survey will be as follows: (More details to follow in January)

25th June to 28th June – Pungalina (camp around homestead) – Survey paperbark woodlands, stringybark woodlands, riverine forest and spring country

29th June to 2nd July – Calvert River Mouth Camp – Survey coastal dune rainforest, saline tidal flats, box woodlands, intertidal zones and coastal grasslands

3rd July to 6th July – Skeleton Creek Camp – Survey spring country, mixed coastal woodlands, coastal grasslands, box woodlands and around the Robinson River mouth intertidal zones, saline tidal flats and coastal dune rainforest

Website for exploring habitat http://www.australianwildlife.org/Pungalina.aspx

23 Potential Participants at 7th December 2011

Dez Wells (QLD) Eric Anderson and Diana O’Connor (QLD) Peter Madvig (NSW) Glenda Zemanek and husband (QLD) Kerry Cowie (WA) Margaret Robertson and Roger Livsey (QLD) John and Denise Lombard (NSW) Brian & Meg Johnson (QLD) Dr Rod Kavanagh and wife (NSW) Faye Hill (NSW) James Butler (QLD) Richard Jordan (NSW) Ken Haines (QLD) Dave Stewart and Sheena Gilman (QLD) Andrew McCutcheon (VIC) Neil Humphris (QLD)

Road access on AWC’s Pungalina-Seven Emu Sanctuary as of 2011

Access to Sanctuary by road from Queensland: Highway 1 (Savanna Way) via Doomadgee. Pungalina turnoff is 44 km past NT border (14 km past Redbank mine road), just after white grid, to north. Currently signposted. alternatively: travel via Mt Isa and Cammoweal to Barkly Homestead, take Tablelands Rd (north), then Calvert Hills Rd, through to Savanna Way (Wollogorang Rd). Turn right (east), cross Karns Ck. Pungalina turnoff just before white grid, to north. Currently signposted. Entrance track from Highway 1 to Pungalina homestead is 64 km long, traverses Wollogorang and Pungalina, parts of this road are rocky, extended streches are on deep sand, at least 1.5 hours travel.

Pungalina homestead to the mouth of the Calvert River. Road is 77 km long, traverses Pungalina and AWC lease of Seven Emu, mostly in reasonable condition although narrow, winding; some parts are deep sand, some washouts and gully crossings. Calvert River crossing (38 km from Punga homestead) is on cobble rocks, likely to be at least 50 cm deep, may be deeper, water can be fast flowing. Another 40 km or so to Calvert River mouth. Total trip takes at least 2 hours. Cycad Ck crossing on flagstones 9 km north of Calvert R crossing.

Road from the lower Calvert River across to Seven Emu homestead on the Robinson River. Leaves road to Calvert mouth c. 25-27 km north of Calvert crossing (south of ‘Big Stinking Lagoon’, turnoff is marked with ‘S’ orange paint). Road is 73 km long, traverses AWC lease of Seven Emu (about 30 km), rest is Seven Emu. Road crosses a number of eroded creek banks, takes 3-4 hours from one side to the other. Heads west to Skeleton Creek (about 20 km), then north for about 6 km; turnoff this road to cross Skeleton Ck (about 1.5 km across a couple of channels) (note there is another sandier crossing further north). Just after Skeleton Ck crossing, turn right for about 3 km following Skeleton Ck north, then west again, another 43 km to 7 Emu. Note that just after the Skeleton Ck crossing, a side road heads south then south-west, towards an escarpment; about 7 km of this road (just past the escarpment) is on the AWC Seven Emu lease.

Other roads on Pungalina: (a) Pungalina homestead to ‘crocodile hole’ on Karns Creek, via the Safari Camp; about 12 km one way; the caves and Bubbling Sands are accessed from this road. A return loop avoids the Safari camp and returns at the homestead; another track goes to Karns Ck (‘squeaky trees’) off this loop. (b) a loop road from the entrance road to ‘Jabiru lagoon’ (14 km from Punga homestead) and ‘Lake Crocodylus’ (8 km from homestead, turnoff marked by green drum at side of road). (c) ‘short cut’ a road between the Karns Ck track and the main entrance road (via ‘Coolibah flat’).

Access to 7 Emu by road from Highway 1: travel towards Borroloola from Pungalina entrance. Cross Karns Ck, Calvert R, Robinson R. Turnoff to ‘Greenbank/ Manangoora’ at 148 km, to north, just before Foelshe River. Turnoff this road 1.3 km to right (sign to Greenbank, 7 Emu), after another 23 km come to 7 Emu gate just before Robinson River. River crossing is rocky, can be deep. Shadforth’s homestead on other side. To get to Robinson R mouth, turn north from homestead, travel through cattle yard gates, a number of other gates on road which is 37 km long. Generally follows river except one place where it heads inland a bit to cross a gully, and where multiple options exist. 4

Robinson River mouth Gulf of Carpentaria

Calvert River mouth Seven Emu Seven Emu (managed by Shadforth) homestead Seven Emu (AWC conservation area)

Cydad Ck

This road is not open Calvert crossing

Pungalina (AWC) Garawa Land Trust

Pungalina This road is not open homestead

Wollogorang Stn

Karns Creek

Calvert Hills Stn

Highway 1/ Savanna Way Entrance road

Existing research programme on Pungalina-Seven Emu AWC ecologists conducted inventory surveys of vertebrate fauna on Pungalina-Seven Emu in 2009 and 2010. As a result of the surveys, a total of 264 terrestrial vertebrate species have so far been confirmed for the Sanctuary including 24 mammals, 166 birds, 14 frogs and 60 reptiles. A further 100 species of terrestrial vertebrates are considered likely to occur on the Sanctuary. Some collection of botanical specimens has also been conducted across the Sanctuary. Future survey work by AWC on Pungalina-Seven Emu will be guided by strategic research priorities, addressing criteria nominated in the monitoring plan being developed for the Sanctuary. The Victorian Speleological Society (VSA) has conducted explorations of sinkholes and cave systems in Proterozoic dolomite on Pungalina-Seven Emu. This research is ongoing, and researchers interested in conducting work on the cave systems are urged to do so in collaboration with the VSA. Charges Surveyors will be charged $60 per day. As we will be on the site for 12 days this means a cost of $720 per person. Payment will cover:  on-site fuel or on-site transport, where applicable (pick up/drop off etc)  meals  accommodation (surveyors are encouraged to bring their own camping gear)  covered working and eating areas

Camping

The suitability of off-road camping trailers or vans on the site will be clarified in the January Bulletin 2. As there use is uncertain, please plan as though only camping tents are permissible.

Facilities and Food

At each of the campsites, there will be toilets, fuel, a dining area and cookery, showering facilities, places for surveyors to undertake work.

Meals will be cooked on site at these camps and provided to participants as required.

A detailed list of items to bring to camp will be provided in Bulletin 2

Roads and Vehicles

We will be travelling into extreme remote outback where mistakes can have severe consequences; for safety, only 4WD vehicles will be allowed on the property, there is no substitute for thorough preparation and a belt and braces approach (think out a backup for everything).

There are some things that will be mandatory for every participant and every vehicle. Among the mandatory list are:-

Personal: (carried on the person when leaving vehicle) GPS with spare batteries, Hand compass Map, Elasticised bandages

Vehicle: Vehicle mounted UHF 2way radio (hand held not suitable) Visibility flag at least 2 metres above highest point of vehicle (A suggestion is that you slip a PVC pipe over your UHF antennae and insert a flag attachment to this), Tyre inflation device Tools & spares Tyre repair tools and spares.

General Advisory: Driving in sand: Driving in sand is a cinch if prepared (and a hundred times easier than in mud) Low tyre pressure and low power torque are the secrets. Always reduce tyre pressure for sand BEFORE getting bogged. The other side of the coin of course is that you may need to reinflate so always carry the tyre inflation device.

Driving in mud: Don't! If you can't avoid it, don't go. Our surveys should not be a matter of life or death but being bogged in an inaccessible place out there could be. However, if you are caught unawares and you do go down in mud and cannot lug through, do not spin your tyres. Get out and have a look and a think. Get dragged out by another vehicle pulling from hard ground is best. Otherwise, jack up and pack underneath first, line the track out with stuff second and then with care and non-spinning power drive out third. Whatever you do, do not bog the second and the third vehicle as well.

The Scout's motto - Be Prepared. If you make all the preparations, carry the essential gear and keep your head, you probably will not need any of it but you will have been professional and will have enjoyed your journey.

Communication

It is essential that vehicles that are used for surveying have a UHF radio. We will use a separate channel, channel 15, for our surveying purposes.

Surveying

We are operating under the umbrella of BirdLife Australia in order to have the necessary insurance cover. We shall be using some Atlas survey techniques and provide data to BA in this poorly recorded area. The data will provide much needed information to the AWC for the long term management of the Reserve.

Atlas bird survey sheets will be provided to participants.

Objectives

 Carry out bird surveys, using BirdLife Australia Atlas methods; these surveys to be permanently located for repeat surveying.

The location of the sites is recorded by GPS in degrees, minutes & seconds (Datum – WGS 84).

The BirdLife Australia Atlas methods used for recording the birds will be –

2-ha Search method.

This involves searching a two-hectare area for 20 minutes. Bird species and numbers will be recorded. At springs/bores, the site will be centered on the spring/bore. Away from spring/bore, the site is centered on the track (unless noted otherwise) and an Atlas Habitat Form filled in.

Area Search method of 500 m around a central point.

Only bird species and not numbers are recorded at these sites. Location of the sites is similar to 1 above. Whenever an Area Search site is located at the same site as the 2-ha Search above, the former is completed before the latter is started. Habitat data is recorded at all sites on a special form.

The standard survey procedure adopted is to search for birds for 1 hour –  If no new bird species are found in the last 15 minutes then the survey ceases when the hour is reached.  If a new bird species is found in the last 15 minutes then continue searching for another 15 minutes from when the new species is found.  Again if a new species is found continue for another 15 minutes. However, the survey time at any site is not to exceed 2 hours.

Incidental observations of birds

Incidental observations of birds in the reserve also are recorded whenever they are seen outside surveying the permanent sites and their locations noted. This will include water bodies that will not fit in either of the survey methods above and road surveys.

Would all potential participants please confirm with me that they are available for the survey the survey?

Could you advise me of the following:

 Your potential travel itinerary, whether travelling by vehicle or flying in and requiring a lift.  The make of your vehicle, diesel or petrol, your registration number?  The number of participants in your party and the age for each participant.

Dez Wells 32 Panoramic Drive, Narangba QLD 4504 Ph: 3886 8055 Mobile: 0428 890111 [email protected]