Red-tail Black Cockatoo Recovery Team
Minutes of meeting
Edenhope Shire Offices
Mar 27 1998 - 12.00pm
1.Apologies
-Adrian Stokes, David Paton, Graham Carpenter, Jason Ferris, Ian Walker
Members present David Baker-Gabb Anne Craig
Richard Hill Andy Govanstone
Jim McGuire Barrie Grigg
Mark Angus Mick Fendley
Tim Burnard Rick Ressom
Barry Clugston Wayne Caldow
Peter Copley
2.Minutes of last meeting
· Correct Field & Naturalists to Field Naturalists
3.Business arising
· 1997 survey results. Following analysis of results, the decision was made not to send out a breakdown of figures to the counters involved, because reanalysis by BC and RH had reduced the total number of birds seen and the calculations behind this were complex and difficult to explain.
· Block burning letter to DNRE. DBG presented the letter to meeting
· Communications. Shires and politicians will receive copy of Red Tail News. Action TB to add National Parks Consultative Committee to mailing list.
· Officer reports. Good format, continue current work.
· Nest boxes. May prove to have a negative impact as people will relax efforts to save tree hollows, thinking nest boxes will suffice. Action TB to ensure future publicity emphasises nest boxes are second best option.
4.Monitoring of 1997-’98 nesting season
· Nestings. Total of 11 nest sites - 9 in Vic., 2 in S.A.. 1 in Yellow gum, 1 in dead stringybark, 8 in dead Red gum, 1 in live Red gum. Hollows tend to be slightly off vertical, 40-50cm diameter x 40-50cm deep. 5 nests produced fledglings, 6 failed for unknown reasons. 4 nests found on one property where nesting not previously reported - of these 2 had fledglings. Total fledged young (“squeakers”) counted - 37. All artificial/supplementary nest sites checked twice and no nesting recorded.
· Flock counting. In lead up to autumn count RH attempted to identify most flocks. 392 birds counted on survey weekend, mostly south of Dergholm. Noted that no birds sighted feeding on Buloke this year. RH emphasised the surveyors cannot be expected to count all birds.
· Stringybark flowering. Need to follow up apiarists to give indication of this seasons flowering. More flowering in one area may influence apparent movement to south this season. Action RH to follow up beekeeper records (Birken) to assess more thoroughly the extent of stringybark flowering this year. Action TB to emphasise in next Red Tail News importance of nil sightings in north. Action TB to further employ volunteers to track flocks, especially north of Endenhope.
· Female/male percetages. Noted that all flocks have more female plumage birds than male(juveniles also have female plumage). If assumption made that there are equal # of male & female adults, then counts so far suggest there are 18% juveniles in flocks. Samples are now being collected for comparison from Qld., N.T., & W.A. Action RH to present results to Recovery Team.
5.Snorkel Cherry Picker.
Jim McGuire has organised donation of 8-12 weeks use of cherry picker for nest observation, as well as training by Box Hill TAFE at no cost. Action TB to ensure Snorkel receive publicity in return.
6.PO Work Schedule.
RH outlined schedule for coming year. As per report, RH will concentrate on population and breeding success monitoring, analysis of existing breeding and distribution data, and the radio tracking study.
7.EO Work Schedule.
· Annual survey. Propose to run 1999 survey similar to this year-Timing? appropriate for aims.
· Continue to assist PO
· Document wood harvesters and value of industry. Action TB to obtain Sturgess report from MF.
· Grazing. AG stated grazing by cattle in private forest areas is a form of legal clearing. Action JMc to encourage shires to bid for NHT funding to protect private stringybark forest. Action AG to provide JMc with Glenelg Shire agreement with DNRE for protection of private, grazed stringybark and Buloke. Action PC to take up above note to protect private Red-tailed Black Cockatoo habitat.
· Revegetation. BC suggest that AG, JMc and CAS people get together to discuss revegetation. PC - revegetation officers need map of historical range of Buloke. Dean Robinson of DNRE Horsham to provide map of Buloke distribution. Use this map at Landcare talks, give to other people working as Landcare officers etc.. Glenelg River to Little Desert link may be good model for Red-tailed Black Cockatoo revegetation input. BC Buloke group will provide technical information for Buloke regeneration. Action RH/TB to invite Bernie Dunn’s replacement to Recovery Team meeting to encourage community involvement.
· Friends of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo group. For time being we are best to make use of existing groups such as Field Naturalists rather than form new group, as suggested in recovery plan. Action TB to obtain Red-tailed Black Cockatoo display from AG.
· Information package. Will pursue pricing and design of flexible folder style of package. Action TB to follow up with Nick Birks and other artists for production of postcards and poster.
8.Storage of sighting records. Atlas of Vic. will record all sightings in S.A. and Vic.. They will then relay information back in appropriate format to DEHAA and Red-tailed Black Cockatoo team. RH suggests there are problems with getting all information on one map as information is separated by State and raised possibility of purchasing computer for this purpose. AG has access to large plotter in Portland.
9.Feeding/fire ecology student. Need to expand study to tie in issues of soil types and other factors affecting preferred feed sites. RH will continue Buloke feeding ecology study whilst PhD student concentrates on stringybark. Action RH to include Buloke study in work schedule. Action Recovery team members to read PhD student project outline and comment to DBG within next week.
Other Business.
10.Clearance of dead trees on private land.
Recently two ‘sympathetic’ landholders have cleared potential nest sites. RH suggests extension work alone will not stop removal of dead trees. AG has talked to Glenelg Shire re. having dead trees covered by planning controls using Red-tailed Black Cockatoo overlay. This is currently going through the appeals process. A review panel is to make recommendations to Council. AG made the point that such a control will only work with the approval of the affected landholders thus extension may be, in effect, the only way to protect dead trees on private land. (RH: is there a possibility of using Covenants to protect these trees?)
11. DEHAA SA funding for Recovery Actions-
PC reported on NHT application matching of funding by SA Department resulting in monies being available for radio transmitters and other equipment. Purchase of a new receiver and scanner ($4600) has already been approved Outcome of the rest of the funding proposals will be known next financial year.
12. Cobboboonee Forest.
Re. ringbarking of hollow bearing trees. Ag needs to know of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo records in area. Action RH to inform AG of above. RH to contact Portland & Horsham FMA to obtain detail of burning strategy.
Next meeting Fri 31 July Edenhope Shire Offices