Sector 4; Robins, Whistlers and Treecreepers

Third-last survey for the season took me to Sector 4. This represents the only sector in Toohey Forest not bounded on at least one side by suburban habitat, roads, buildings or any other major anthropogenic disturbance. As a result, the number of species were slightly up on the last couple of surveys. More importantly, the species composition of the sites was also different, with a large number of species that you could categorise as edge-avoiding, interior core-habitat species. Species such as the Rufous Whistler, White-throated Treecreeper and even the Eastern Yellow Robin are more likely to be found within the centre of large patches, and seem to avoid edges. The concept of ‘edge effects’ reflects the different biotic and abiotic attributes associated with ecotone or edge habitat. For example, patch edges with roads or suburban development are typically characterised by increased noise, greater density of weeds, altered microclimate (e.g., windier, sunnier, hotter and thus drier) as well as an increase in ‘edge-tolerant’ and aggressive species such as Noisy Miners, Australian Magpies, Common Mynahs etc. As a result of these altered biotic and abiotic conditions at edges, species such as the Rufous Whistler and Eastern Yellow Robin are excluded from such habitat. Generally therefore, the larger a patch of vegetation, the greater the probability that the patch harbours these ‘edge-sensitive’ species. Back to the survey results……

Apart from the species recorded below, I also heard a number of other species just off the survey route, including a Channel-billed Cuckoo, Striated Pardalotes and Olive-backed Orioles. In all therefore, there were a large number of species this morning! I also noted that apart from the number of species, there was a high diversity. By this, I mean, there were an appreciable number of almost all of the species instead of just single records of most species.

Species richness = the number of species in the community
Species diversity = the number and frequency of species in the community

The White-throated Treecreeper is a species that has apparently declined throughout Toohey Forest and is now primarily found on the high ridgelines within the centre of the forest. As they are specialist bark foragers (with highly developed legs for walking up trees as they feed), they require large mature trees to feed on. The Eastern Yellow Robin is another species that has declined in the forest, for unknown reasons. They are associated with the moister areas of the forest in the gullies. Severe droughts in the last couple of years may have dramatically affected their breeding output and therefore their population persistence. Furthermore, as these species are resident and don’t have strong power of flight and dispersion, it will be hard to see recruits flying in from other patches. The long-term outlook for this species may be bleak, although future research as part of the larger study we are undertaking in the whole Brisbane metropolitan area will determine whether this decline in Toohey Forest is representative of what is happening throughout Brisbane.

Date: 16th December 2008
Time: 0545 - 0805
Sector: 4
Number of species seen: 19
Number of birds seen: 123

Australian Magpie (8)
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (3)
Eastern Whipbird (1)
Eastern Yellow Robin (2)
Grey Shrike-thrush (3)
Laughing Kookaburra (1)
Leaden Flycatcher (2)
Mistletoebird (5)
Pied Butcherbird (2)
Pied Currawong (5)
Rainbow Lorikeet (19)
Rufous Whistler (2)
Sacred Kingfisher (1)
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (46)
Silvereye (4)
Spangled Drongo (1)
Tawny Frogmouth (1)
White-throated Treecreeper (1)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (16)

Sector 3; Coucals, spiders and more spiders

After being in Sydney last week for the Ecological Society of Australia conference, I am now back and in the groove of bird surveys. For the record, the conference was great, although was very exhausting: 8.30am – 5.00pm most days, Monday it was 8.15am – 7.00pm. Rebecca and I managed to catch up with a small number of friends, which was great fun. During the day, Bec kept herself busy walking and shopping in town. We stayed in Glebe at “The Haven Inn”. Nice place, but my god, Sydney is SO filthy!! Rubbish everywhere. I saw one girl in Paramatta placing stickers on cement pylons (about something inane no doubt) and blatantly throwing away the sticker backing!! There were 10 – 20 just blowing around the street!! Made me SO mad to see blatant vandalism and littering… sometimes I wish I was an undercover policeman……

Anyway, transplant yourself back to the clean and (relatively) safe Brisbane for another instalment of bird survey findings…

I surveyed the whole eastern section of sector 3 this morning; represented a very large portion of the forest to the east of the Pacific Motorway. The majority of the way was off-track, with many areas of dense understorey. Needless to say, there were hundreds of spiders, and those that know me would realised how much of a test it was to stay calm in the face of huge St Andrews Cross and Golden-Orb Weaver spiders everywhere!! It made the survey just that much more stressful! It was relatively quiet. I only saw 111 individuals from 15 species, although interestingly, there were two new species for my Toohey Forest surveying; one of which is rarely recorded in the forest. The first was a Pheasant Coucal that sat in a sapling in front of me and called a number of times (see dodgy quality video below; the call is right at the end). They are the most retarded species and don’t seem to harbour the ability to land gracefully in trees. They are more like a monkey in a large birds body; attempting to climb trees using their wings, only managing to attract attention from afar! The most unexpected species was a Topknot Pigeon. It was, granted, 70m above the forest, so most likely won’t be used in analysis, although it is worthy of note as this species generally inhabits sub-tropical forest in these parts, only being occasionally seen in eucalypt forest such as Toohey Forest. It is quite possible, given its high flight, that it was using the large expanse of Toohey Forest as a visual stepping stone to travel to greener pasture (albeit rainforest). Everything else was rather ordinary and unexpected, although the dense understorey in parts of Lantana and thick grass was particularly attractive to large numbers of Silvereye. My estimation of 20 individuals is perhaps a bit conservative; there were probably more like 25 – 35, although it is more of an estimate of number. With 7 surveys now complete, there are only 3 left to do. I will most likely get them all done before Christmas, although may do the last one between Christmas and New Year. It all depends on when Bec and I move house…… watch this space regarding THAT impending and building drama………..

Date: 12th December 2008
Time: 0535 - 0810
Sector: 3
Number of species seen: 15
Number of birds seen: 111

Galah (2)
Laughing Kookaburra (2)
Pheasant Coucal (1)
Rainbow Lorikeet (27)
Sacred Kingfisher (1)
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (8)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (2)
Silvereye (26)
Spotted Turtle-dove (2)
Torresian Crow (11)
Topknot Pigeon (1)
Variegated Fairy-wren (6)
White-browed Scrub-wren (8)
White-throated Needletail (1)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (13)