Chapter 9 – Migratory shorebirds and the Australian Painted Snipe

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Study Bird survey timing and effort GHD (2009b) Terrestrial Ecology, Abbot Point Coal Terminal X110 Expansion: Infrastructure Development Project Draft Voluntary Environmental Assessment. Unidel (2011) Abbot Point Coal Terminal Facilities Terrestrial Ecology Assessment for Waratah Coal Galilee Coal Project Environmental Impact Statement. GHD (2011) Caley Valley Wetland Freshwater Aquatic Flora and Fauna Assessment for Alpha Coal Project (Rail) Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement. Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd 2012 (BAAM) Caley Valley Wetland, Port of Abbot Point. Cumulative Impact Assessment Migratory Shorebirds and Waterbird Surveys Both seasons ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Targeted surveys for Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta cincta and Beach Stone-Curlew Esacus neglectus. Dry season: November 10 – 11, 2008 Wet season: April 4, 2009 Surveys at defined sampling sites within each representative RE, as well as random meanders within the broader direct footprint study area, recording species and number of individuals sighted. Targeted search for threatened species likely to be recorded within each season. Three days in November 2009 An avifauna survey of the Abbot Point State Development Area (APSDA) involving both ground-based and aerial surveys. The ground-based survey involved driving and walking sections of wetland containing water and recording species composition, abundance and behaviour. The aerial survey was conducted from a helicopter for one hour and involved searching for and recording the location of wetlands containing water and/or waterbird aggregations; species composition and abundance were recorded whenever waterbird aggregations were encountered. 23 to 25 February 2011 Opportunistic observations during survey of rail loop study area recording bird species present within and immediately adjoining the proposed rail loop footprint area. Wet Season 21 to 24 February and 5 to 10 March 2012 Assessment of population and habitat importance in relation to the total abundance of waterbirds and shorebird species within the Caley Valley Wetland system. Baseline survey approach (including estimation and extrapolation) and desktop review of previous studies. Dry Season 26 to 29 June 2012 Assessment of population and habitat importance in relation to the total abundance of waterbirds and shorebird species within the Caley Valley Wetland system. Baseline survey approach (including estimation and extrapolation) and desktop review of previous studies. In addition to these surveys, Birdlife Australia (previously Birds Australia) gathers data from sites throughout Australia as part of its Shorebird 2020 project. The Shorebird 2020 project involves the coordination of national shorebird population monitoring. Counts focusing on up to 45 shorebird species are conducted annually. The purpose of the shorebird 2020 project is to detect national population trends with a view to analysing the causes of any change. Birdlife Australia has records of four ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA & OPEN LINES 9 - 6
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT migratory shorebird species in the project area. Notably one of these four, the Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) was not previously observed in the study area. The Queensland Wader Study Group (QWSG) conducts monthly surveys at many sites along the Queensland coastline and coordinates Shorebird 2020 activities within Queensland. It also conducts periodic intensive field surveys of specific areas within Queensland and has records of shorebirds in the immediate neighbourhood of the Caley Valley Wetland but has not surveyed within the wetland itself. Birdlife Australia also established the Australian Painted Snipe Project in 2001 to address population declines identified for the species across Australia. The project found that movements of the Australian Painted Snipe are poorly understood and that there are a number of knowledge gaps in relation to this species. The species is possibly dispersive in response to the flooding and drying out of wetlands, and birds are capable of travelling great distances. BAAM SURVEYS (2012) As outlined in Table 9-1, migratory shorebird and Australian Painted Snipe surveys were undertaken by BAAM in 2012. These surveys were commissioned to help inform this CIA. The key aim of these surveys was to determine whether the Caley Valley Wetland provides important habitat for EPBC listed migratory shorebirds and the Australian Painted Snipe. A summary of these surveys is provided here and the full report (BAAM 2012) is provide as an attachment to this report. The BAAM (2012) survey approach considered (in particular) the guidelines in EPBC policy statement 3.21 (DEWHA 2009a, b) in terms of assessing population and habitat importance for migratory shorebirds. The baseline survey approach was to obtain an estimate, based on count data and extrapolation to any unsurveyed areas, of the total population size of each species of migratory shorebird observed in the Caley Valley Wetland system. Survey effort concentrated on the main wetland. The intertidal (estuary and coastal) surveys were constrained by time, access, weather and the non-accessibility of Dingo Beach due to Indigenous cultural heritage values and sensitivities. It is important to note that the work by BAAM also provided the opportunity to survey for the Australian Painted Snipe and the survey methodologies used for migratory shorebirds are appropriate for that species. The BAAM study area comprised the Caley Valley Wetland and adjoining coastal habitats shown in Figure 9-1. The surveys comprised two wet season and one dry season surveys. Note that due to constraints on the field surveys, caused by the sheer size of the project area, access, and time constraints, the BAAM survey methodology includes a number of assumptions: • It was necessary to extrapolate the total population sizes for the main wetland area to unsurveyed areas. This was done according to standard industry practice and involved extrapolating the count results of surveyed sectors to unsurveyed areas using a survey sector most similar in position and habitat characteristics to the unsurveyed area. • Extrapolation was possible for only four species. These four species were restricted to the perimeter fringes of the wetland basin. • It was also necessary to provide estimates for some species. Estimates account for factors such as bird movements during survey periods, the cryptic nature of some species and flushing distances. Estimation was conducted by BAAM in accordance with recognised industry practice. ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA & OPEN LINES 9 - 7
Page 1 and 2: Abbot Point Cumulative Impact Asses
Page 3 and 4: ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSES
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Page 13 and 14: Figure 9-3: BAAM March survey locat
Page 21 and 22: Coastal water and estuarine (intert
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
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ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSES
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9.9 INTERACTION WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
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Chapter 9 – Migratory shorebirds and the Australian Painted Snipe

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