Field Biologist report: June to November 2003

Objective To increase the population to 625-960 adults and maintain at least current levels of recruitment

Flock counts 2003

Methods

Flock counts Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos were carried out in May and June this year in around Casterton, and at Rennick State Forest, Yallakar State Forest, and Lucindale. Each count is a scan across the flock counting all visible birds as male or barred. All counts from a flock were summed to get a total barred and total male birds, from which the proportion of adult males was calculated. These ratios were then averaged to produce an error estimate. Only counts of 10 or more birds are used because ratios using small counts are extremely variable.

Results

Counts were made of six flocks totalling 330 birds. Three flocks totalling 210 birds were counted in the Casterton area, 20 from Lucindale, 80 from Yallakar, and 64 from Rennick. The results are shown below.


Proportion of adult males in flocks since 1999. Error bars = one standard deviation.

This years results ends a slow, non-significant increase in the proportion of adult males, corresponding to a non-significant decrease in successful recruitment. These apparent trends are considered to be too small to suggest any real change in recruitment over the past five years. Thus these data suggest that recruitment has not increased or decreased during that period.

ObjectiveTo maintain area of existing feeding habitat

Action: To maintain area of existing feeding habitat; Pursue legislative change to protect remnant habitat

Martine Maron, Julie Kirkwood and I gave a presentation to the EPBC unit at Environment Australia on EPBC and RTBC habitats. JK will talk to this at the meeting. Martine and I met with two federal parliamentary advisers lobbying for increased protection of RTBC habitats.

Action: Ensure CMAs, SENRCC and other relevant agencies target fencing grants to endangered species habitat.

I coordinated an inter-agency/organisation “Woodlands” bid for the GHCMA 04/05 NHT/NAP round, and supported the TFN bid which includes targeting RTBC habitats on private land.

Action: Develop management guidelines for remnant habitat

I prepared and submitted a proposal to develop a Wild Pine Management Plan for the RTBC range in the GHCMA region.

Action: Attend field days, Landcare meetings, schools, etc. as required

I gave a talk to Grade 4 students at Sacred Heart Primary School , Casterton.

Objective: A 25% increase in seed production in stringybark woodland achieved through better fire management.

Action: Implement actions arising from 'Feeding Ecology in stringybark' study

Develop and implement fire management plan for RtBC stringybark feeding habitat

I commented on the Portland Fire Operations Plan (letter attached). I requested that the 85% minimum long-unburnt stringybark be implemented in five management units across the Portland district (about half the RTBC range in Victoria) to ensure that long-unburnt stringybark is available across the district. Department of Sustainability and Environment is not completely comfortable with this proposal. This requires further discussion at the meeting.

Department of Sustainability and Environment and Parks Victoria are also proposing additional low scorch fire protection burns to supplement our understanding of fire intensity and impact on stringybark seed production.

I have had preliminary discussions with Department of Sustainability and Environment officers about developing a protocol to assess stringybark sites prior to proposed fire protection burning.

Objective: A minimum additional 500 ha of stringybark woodland and additional 500 ha of Buloke woodland protected or revegetated each year.

Action: Identify opportunities where revegetation can, may or should be undertaken on public and private lands.

I have spoken to Timbercorp and arranged a tour of their SA properties in December to look for opportunities for enhancement of RTBC habitats on their landholdings.

Action: Pursue project to have 'unused' plantation land revegetated.

I assisted and supported the development of a TFN/ GA bid on plantation remnant vegetation for 04/05 funding in the GHCMA.

Objective: To minimise impact of nest predators

Action: Conduct volunteer nest searches

Volunteer (Dick Cooper) has spent several evenings each week for the past two months searching for new nests and attempting to active nests at known sites. I have searched on 2-3 evenings each week since middle of September. To date no nests have been confirmed. This is quite unusual and deserves some discussion at the recovery team. It appears that around Casterton, at least, cockatoos have commenced nesting much later than usual, and at this stage, it appears that a smaller proportion of the population is attempting to nest this year. The figure below indicates the months in which nests tend to be first located.


Number of nests found in each month of the 2001/02 nesting season.

Objective: To operate /implement the Recovery Plan through a Recovery Team

  • Actions: Supervise the project. Report on progress against objectives and performance

It is worth reporting that Wendy, Mike Weston and I have spent considerable amount of time dealing with and reporting to the three funding authorities to which we now report. The general administration load has increased substantially under these new arrangements.