Chapter 9 – Migratory shorebirds and the Australian Painted Snipe

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ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Figure 9-8: Brackish sedgeland community at Caley Valley Wetland - dry season (BAAM 2012) Figure 9-9: Brackish sedgeland community at Caley Valley Wetland - wet season (BAAM 2012) ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA & OPEN LINES 9 - 18
Coastal water and estuarine (intertidal) zones ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT The wetland contains a small section of open coast between Mt Stuart and Branch Creek, located on the western side of the wetland. This zone contains coastal open waters, sandy beaches and spits, and coastal dune vegetation communities. The tidal creeks located on the western side of the wetlands contain large areas of estuarine vegetation. A mosaic of mangrove forests, saltmarsh, saltpan, and Casuarina dominated wetlands occur within this zone. The spatial distribution and structure of these vegetation communities is controlled by tidal inundation patterns and freshwater inputs. The BAAM 2012 February survey found two species of migratory shorebird (the Whimbrel and the Eastern Curlew) using the coastal water zones during both high and low tides (marked as C3 & C4 in Figure 9-2). Although both species were also found on the wetland basin zone their numbers were significantly higher around the intertidal (coastal and estuarine) area. The presence of Whimbrel and Eastern Curlew populations on the intertidal zone is indicative of the invertebrate populations also supported by the coastal and estuarine zones. The Whimbrel and Eastern Curlew are mainly carnivorous, feeding on a range of invertebrates including worms, molluscs and crustaceans found in this zone. Hypersaline or open pan zone The area between the western bund and the causeway contains extensive saltpans and ponded hypersaline waters. The impounded hypersaline waters upslope of the western bund have high salinity levels and areas of anoxic sediment. The saltpan areas are typically dry but contain sparse coverage of salt tolerant saltmarsh species. The habitat value of the open pan zone to migratory shorebirds is much lower during the dry season. Inundation by flood waters in the wet season transforms the zone making it more productive and brackish in character. This allows for the temporary development of saltmarsh communities. As a result of these changes the open pan zone is able to support a wider range of bird species, including some species more typical of either freshwater or saltwater habitats. The BAAM wet season survey found the open-pan zone supported up to 2,850 waterbirds of which 1,276 were migratory shorebirds. The largest numbers, including up to 1,088 Red-necked Stint and up to 130 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, were found in the southern area of the open pan zone most exposed to tidal inflows. The presence of the Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is indicative of the value of the wet season open pan zone as a source of food. These two species often feed together (Higgins & Davies 1996) with both having similar diets. Both species are predominately carnivorous, feeding on worms, molluscs crustaceans and insects and, in the open pan zone, gleaning from saltmarsh. The Red-necked Stint will also occasionally feed on seeds (Driscoll pers. com 2012). Wetland basin zone This zone is located east of the causeway and contains palustrine (marsh) and lacustrine (lake) areas that are of near freshwater character (varying depending on rainfall and salinity conditions). The palustrine area represents the largest wetland type in the Caley Valley Wetland. The vegetation in this area is made up of discrete sedge patches almost entirely consisting of one species, mangrove clubrush (Schoenoplectus litoralis). ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA & OPEN LINES 9 - 19
Page 1 and 2: Abbot Point Cumulative Impact Asses
Page 3 and 4: ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSES
Page 13 and 14: Figure 9-3: BAAM March survey locat
Page 19: ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSES
Page 27 and 28: SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER ABBOT POINT
Page 29 and 30: Feeding habitat and behaviour ABBOT
Page 41 and 42: 9.4 CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES ABBOT P
Page 43 and 44: Table 9-5: Areas of the Caley Valle
Page 45 and 46: 9.5.2 Indirect Impacts ABBOT POINT
Page 47 and 48: GROUNDWATER ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE
Page 51 and 52: DISTURBANCE RELATED IMPACTS Noise A
Page 69 and 70: 9.9 INTERACTION WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
Page 71:
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSES
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Chapter 9 – Migratory shorebirds and the Australian Painted Snipe

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