VicForests Pre-harvest Targeted Fauna Surveys District Coupe Number Coupe Name Bendoc 892-507-0020 Squirrels Paw Bendoc 892-507-0021 Coyotes Paw Bendoc 892-507-0006 Quick Step Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests February 2017 Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd ABN: 36 147 131 119 PO Box 255, Bairnsdale, VIC 3875 Ph/Fax: 03 5152 6367 Email: wildlifeunlimited@wideband.net.au
CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION... 2 2 METHODS... 2 2.1 Frog survey... 2 2.2 Spotlight survey... 2 2.3 Owl playback survey/ Dusk Listen... 2 3 RESULTS... 3 3.1 Significant species detected... 3 3.2 Surveys conducted... 3 3.3 Squirrels Paw (892-507-0020)... 4 3.4 Coyotes Paw (892-507-0021)... 5 3.5 Quick Step (892-507-0006)... 6 Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 1
1 INTRODUCTION Wildlife Unlimited was commissioned by VicForests to conduct surveys for threatened arboreal mammals, owls and the Giant Burrowing Frog within or in proximity to three proposed harvesting coupes near Bendoc, East Gippsland: Squirrels Paw (892-507-0020), Coyotes Paw (892-507-0021) and Quick Step (892-507-0006). 2 METHODS Surveys were conducted in accordance with VicForests s Pre-harvest Surveys, Targeted Species Survey Procedures (V. 1.9, 24/06/2016). 2.1 Frog survey A creek line adjacent to one coupe was inspected during daylight hours to identify any Giant Burrowing Frog habitat and determine its suitability for conducting call playback and active searches for this species. No suitable habitat was found within the creek line. The survey for this species was therefore limited to passive listening surveys conducted concurrently with other nocturnal surveys. 2.2 Spotlight survey A 1 kilometre spotlight survey was conducted at each coupe along existing roads/tracks or through the bush where track side vegetation was not representative of the coupe. Where roads existed adjacent to the coupe for less than 1 kilometre, peripheral areas were surveyed provided habitat was similar. Each spotlight was conducted by 2 observers using LEDLenser head torches (models H14.2 and XEO19R). All fauna species detected either visually or by call were recorded by marking the location of the observer with a GPS and recording the bearing and estimated distance of the animal from the observer. 2.3 Owl playback survey/ Dusk Listen A dusk listen was conducted at each coupe to listen for calls of large forest owls or gliders. A call playback survey was conducted at each coupe targeting large forest owls. Survey locations were pre-determined during the day to ensure the habitat was suitable and the calls would be broadcast over a significant distance. Calls were broadcast using a megaphone in the following sequence: 1. Yellow-bellied Glider 2. Powerful Owl (hooting calls) 3. Sooty Owl ( bomb drop ) 4. Sooty Owl (trilling calls) 5. Masked Owl (screeching call) 6. Masked Owl (chattering call) Each call was repeated a number of times over two minutes, followed by two minutes of silence before the next call was played. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 2
3 RESULTS 3.1 Significant species detected District Coupe Number Coupe Name Yellowbellied Glider Greater Glider Powerful Owl Sooty Owl Masked Owl Bendoc 892-507-0021 Coyotes Paw Y Y - - - - Bendoc 892-507-0020 Squirrels Paw Y Y Y - - - Bendoc 892-507-0006 Quick Step Y Y Y - - - Frogs 3.2 Surveys conducted District Coupe Number Coupe Name Spotlight Survey Owl Playback Survey Dusk Listen Bendoc 892-507-0021 Coyotes Paw Y Y Y Y Bendoc 892-507-0020 Squirrels Paw Y Y Y Y Bendoc 892-507-0006 Quick Step Y Y Y Y Riparian Search Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 3
3.3 Squirrels Paw (892-507-0020) 3.3.1 Dusk Listen 31- Jan- 17 20:20 20:50 670939 5883471 Kookaburra H 20 250 Grey Shrike-thrush H 20 208 Yellow-bellied Glider H 30 252 Yellow-bellied Glider H 50 180 3.3.2 Owl playback 31-Jan- 17 21:45 22:10 0670880 5883058 Yellow-bellied Glider H 100 150 Yellow-bellied Glider H 50 93 Yellow-bellied Glider H 100 340 Powerful Owl H 200 90 3.3.3 Spotlight survey Date Observers time time 31-Jan-17 22:15 0670879 5883061 23:40 0670369 5882686 Species Seen/Heard Distance (m) Direction ( ) Comments Sugar Glider H 0670879 5883061 50 180 Common Brush-tailed Possum H 670843 5883077 7 355 Greater Glider H 670823 5883082 5 40 Ringtail Possum H 670797 5883091 5 340 X 2 animals Greater Glider H 670717 5882965 20 150 Ringtail Possum H 670717 5882965 20 100 Greater Glider H 670701 5882921 10 160 Boobook Owl H 670625 5882923 500 160 Greater Glider H 670589 5882885 10 80 Sugar Glider H 670538 5882884 10 260 Ringtail Possum H 670396 5882691 5 70 Ringtail Possum H 670396 5882686 20 140 X 2 animals 3.3.4 Riparian Search Riparian Search No water bodies were seen in the minor drainage lines encountered. No Crayfish burrows noted in dry drainage lines. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 4
3.4 Coyotes Paw (892-507-0021) 3.4.1 Dusk Listen 31-Jan-17 20:20 20:50 670939 5883471 Kookaburra H 10 120 Large group 360 degrees around observer Pied Currawong H 10 87 Eastern Grey Kangaroo S 3 280 On road Yellow-bellied Glider H 5 70 3.4.2 Owl playback 31-Jan-17 21:15 21:35 671961 5883763 Yellow-bellied Glider H 200 320 Yellow-bellied Glider H 100 280 Heard both animals simultaneously at one point. 3.4.3 Spotlight survey Date Observers time time 31-Jan-17 22:19 670875 5883070 23:32 671401 5883526 Species Seen/ Heard Distance (m) Direction ( ) Comments Mountain Brush-tailed Possum S 671077 5883216 6 0 Mountain Brush-tailed Possum S 671177 5883330 40 130 Greater Glider S 671332 5883521 30 350 3.4.4 Riparian Search Riparian Search No water bodies were seen in the drainage lines encountered. No Crayfish burrows noted in dry drainage lines. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 5
3.5 Quick Step (892-507-0006) 3.5.1 Dusk Listen 31-Jan-17 20:20 20:50 671422 5882201 Superb Lyrebird H 70 70 Kookaburra H 200 60 Superb Lyrebird H 60 280 Kookaburra H 60 10 3.5.2 Owl playback 01-Feb-17 00:20 00:40 671419 5882258 Boobook owl H 200 340 Boobook owl H 200 40 Yellow-bellied Glider H 50 260 2 separate animals calling from this spot Yellow-bellied Glider H 50 160 Powerful Owl H 150 156 Greater Glider S 40 240 Greater Glider S 40 190 3.5.3 Spotlight survey Date Observers time time 01-Feb-17 00:50 0637583 5838157 01:52 0637063 5838721 Species Seen/Heard Distance (m) Direction ( ) Comments Boobook Owl H 671788 5883285 200 210 Ringtail Possum S 671745 5883260 20 280 Greater Glider S 671672 5883103 20 220 Mountain Brush-tailed Possum S 671672 5883103 50 280 Greater Glider S 671672 5883103 60 280 X 2 animals Greater Glider S 671600 5883065 20 180 White Throated Nightjar H 671672 5883103 80 180 Greater Glider S 671471 5882987 10 90 Greater Glider S 671471 5882987 70 120 Feather-tailed Glider S 671442 5882821 10 210 Common Brush-tailed Possum S 671442 5882821 60 270 Red-necked Wallaby S 671442 5882821 25 180 Greater Glider S 671447 5882718 50 250 Greater Glider S 671449 5882666 40 180 3.5.4 Riparian Search Riparian Search No water bodies were seen in the minor drainage lines encountered. No Crayfish burrows noted in dry drainage lines. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 6
Appendix 1 Weather conditions recorded at the beginning of each survey Nocturnal: Dusk Listen, Owl playback and spotlight survey. District Coupe Number Coupe Name Date Survey time Temperature ( C) Relative humidity (%) Cloud cover (%) Bendoc 892-507-0020 Squirrels Paw 31-Jan-17 Nocturnal 17.8 61 100 Light None 13 Bendoc 892-507-0021 Coyotes Paw 31-Jan-17 Nocturnal 17.8 61 100 Light None 13 Bendoc 892-507-0006 Quick Step 31-Jan-17 Nocturnal 17.8 61 100 Light None 13 * Wind scale used: calm = no wind; light = leaves rustle; moderate = branches sway; strong = tops of trees move. Wind* Rain Moon phase (% visible) Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 7
Figure 1 General habitat of the drainage line that runs between the three coupes that was dry during the survey. Not considered to be suitable for the Giant Burrowing Frog. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 8
Figure 2 Small pool at edge of road approximately 150m from Coyotes Paw and 400-500m from Quick Step. Not suitable habitat for Giant Burrowing Frog. Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd for VicForests Page 9