AUDIT. University of the Sunshine Coast. 17 th of February 2015 H O L L O W L O G H O M E S

Transcription

1 H O L L O W L O G H O M E S University of the Sunshine Coast AUDIT 17 th of February 2015 Box number 3, a rear entry glider box, showing two Squirrel gliders, Petaurus norfolcensis in a leaf nest

2 . 1.Overview Stage 1: 30 boxes installed Date of nest box installation: 04/08/2011 Number and type of nest boxes : Single chamber micro bat 2 Double chambered micro bat 3 Feather tail glider 5 Squirrel glider (rear entry) 5 Possum 2 Black Cockatoo 3 Small parrot 5 Kingfisher 5 Box Number 2, a cockatoo box, showing Wood duck Chenonetta jubata, hen sitting on eggs Stage 2 : 43 nest boxes installed Date of nest box installation 28/01/2014 Number and type of nest boxes: Single chamber micro bat 2 double chamber micro bat 4 Four chamber micro bat 3 Squirrel Glider (rear entry) 10 Squirrel Glider (front entry) 2 Antechinus 10 Small parrot 8 Wood duck 3 kingfisher 1 Stage 3: 4 boxes installed Date of nest box installation 17/02/2015 Number and Type of nest boxes: Small parrot 4 Box number 25, a rear entry glider box, showing a colony of Squirrel gliders., P. norfolcensis 1

3 Checking box with remote camera system 2.Method Box Number 58, a rear entry glider box, showing a single male Squirrel glider P. norfolcensis Boxes with opening lids, the ladder is careful placed on the tree in a position to make it easy to access the lid, quietly and with diligent care so as not to disturb any animals that may be in the box the ladder is ascended and the lid lifted and a photograph and/or video taken of the inside of the box, if there is no animal in the box then a further inspections is made to ascertain if any animal has entered the box, if there is an animal in the box all care is taken not to disturb or frighten the animal in any way. Where the boxes are low enough, the camera can be used on a pole to photograph inside the box thus being less disruptive if animals are present. An extention pole is used to lift the lid and then a camera with bluetooth control is placed on a second pole to observe inside the box. Where boxes have bottom openings such as bat boxes, a torch is used from the ground to to see inside the box, if there are bats in the box a photograph may be taken if the bats are significantly in tauper so as to not be disturbed by the light from the flash. Box number 63, Rear entry glider box, showing single female Squirrel glider P. norfolcensis 2

4 3.Species Use By Nest Box Type The following table is indicative of which species should they be in the areas are likely to use each nest box type, all species listed have been recorded using Hollow log Homes nest boxes. Mammals Box type Petaurus breviceps Petaurus norfolcensis Acrobates pygmaeus Antechinus stuartii, A flavipes, A. subtropicus Phascogale tapoatafa Trichosurus vulpecula Trichosurus caninus Pseudocheirus peregrinus Cercartetus nanus Melomys cervinipes Tadarida australis Momopterus loriae Momopterus beccarii Chalinolbus gouldii Scotorepens greyi Nyctophilus geoffroyi Nyctophilus gouldi front entry Glider rear entry Glider possum Bat Antechin us Feather tail glider small parrot Kingfisher Cock atoo Wood duck Birds Climacteris picumnus, C.leucophaeus Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus Trichoglossus haematodus Platycercus adscitus Chenonetta jubata Aegotheles cristatus Tyto alba Ninox novaeseelandiae Tyto novaehollandiae 3

5 4.Some Indications of Native Vertebrate Habitation in Nest Boxes Gliders: Petaurus species, both P. norfolcensis and P. breviceps create identical nests, both use eucaliptus leaves to line the nest hollow, in winter the nest hollow may be filled with eucaliptus leaves. Hair is often caught in entrance hole, droppings sometimes present on lid of box, tree trunk may have a landing pad ( scratches) adjacent to box, entrance hole sometimes shows chew marks. Brushtail possums: Trichosurus species, both T. vulpecular and T. caninus will utilize a large range and size of nest boxes, some indications of use by these species are hair caught around entrance hole, wood shavings flattened and often pushed aside, polishing of entrance hole, bite marks around entrance, strong smell. Ringtail Possum: Pseudocheirus peregrinus; Bark strips and branchlets will often be taken into box, sometimes a fully formed drey will be built inside of nest hollow, other times a loosely woven open nest will be built. Droppings are usually found in the nest chamber. Micro Bats: Microchiroptera; staining may be evident at entrance hole, droppings sometimes caught on back of box. Spiders webs if present may be pushed aside at entrance hole. Antechinus species, both Antechinus flavipes and Antechinus stuartii take leaves from a variety of trees into box and put in a messy layer, a toilet pile may be present just outside the box or in one corner. Wood Ducks: Chenonetta jubata, copious amount of down will line nest hollow, also large amounts of broken eggshell if hatched or up to 12 large white eggs usually covered with down if nest is active. Rainbow Lorrikeets: Trichoglossus haematodus; newly laid eggs (usually two) white, as the chicks get older the nest base becomes filled with droppings and discarded feathers, after several nesting the nest hole will be quite smelly and have broken feathers. Occasionally fatalities in young but not common. 4

6 Pale Headed Rosella: Platycercus adscitus: newly laid the eggs are bright white often 6 or more, there are often fatalities among the young. Droppings are quite dry due to diet of adult birds. Owlet Nightjars: Aegotheles cristatus, two white eggs, copious amounts of dry droppings usually pushed into the corners of the box, often only one or two feathers. Also tiny fragments of eggshell may remain in the box. Chenonetta jubata 1 mammal species ; Squirrel glider Petaurus norfolcensis 1 insect species ; Native bee Trigona carbonaria European bees Apis mellifera, 1 box ( hive poisoned ) Asian house gecko 1 box ( no action taken) Box number 41, Antechinus box, showing fresh eucaliptus Box number 30, a small parrot box, showing evidence leaves consistent with Squirrel glider P. norfolcensis activity of Rainbow lorrikeet nesting Data was collected from 30 nest boxes, 12 from stage 1 and 18 from stage 2,seventeen of these either had animals present or signs of recent habitation by native vertebrates of these seventeen boxes two had hives of native stingless bees Trigona carbonaria. Seven boxes had nests of fresh eucalyptus leaves placed inside, this is consistent with Squirrel glider Petaurus norfolcensis activity. There were also indications of Antechinus activity in one of these boxes along with the eucalyptus leaves there were also scats that seemed to be more consistent with Antechinus sp. A further 4 boxes had Squirrel gliders P. norfolcensis inside. One box contained a Wood duck hen Chenonetta jubata sitting on eggs a second box contained the remains of a successful Wood duck nesting ( broken 5

7 eggshells and duck down ). Box number 16 had indications of ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus use,( bark strips and ringtail possum droppings ) this box also contained some eucaliptus leaves possibly left by gliders before the Possum found the box. Box number 30, a small parrot box had evidence of Rainbow lorrikeet nesting, green, red and yellow feathers, also guano consistent with the lorrikeet diet. Two boxes were found to house feral species box number 40 had a hive of European honey bees, this was poisoned and box number 43 a small parrot box contained an Asian house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus BOX NUMBER BOX TYPE SPECIES PRESENT SIGNS OF ACTIVITY 1 Small Parrot Fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box 2 Cockatoo Wood duck hen sitting on eggs 3 Rear entry glider 2 squirrel gliders 16 small Parrot Indications of use by ringtail possum 18 Micro bat Native bee hive 19 Kingfisher fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box 25 rear entry glider Glider colony 28 small Parrot fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box 30 Small Parrot Evidence of Rainbow lorrikeet nesting 32 Wood duck Evidence of wood duck nesting 36 Rear entry glider Native bee hive 41 Antechinus Fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box, entrance hole chewed 50 Front entry glider Fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box 58 Rear entry glider Squirrel glider 61 Rear entry glider Fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box 63 Rear entry glider Squirrel glider 64 Rear entry glider Fresh eucalyptus leaves inside box, also dropping ( Antechinus) 6

8 Box number 16, small parrot box, showing evidence of ringtail possum activity and possibly glider. Box number 32, wood duck box, showing old eggshell and down from wood duck nesting. 7

9 4. Field Notes Box number Box type GPS location small Parrot S E large Cockatoo box S E Rear entry glider S E large Cockatoo box S E large Cockatoo box S E King fisher S E Micro bat S E Rear entry glider S E possum S E Feather tail glider S E Rear entry glider S E Feather tail glider S E Fresh eucaliptus leaves in- Fresh eucaliptus leaves indicating recent dicating recent use by glid- use by gliders ers, also bark strips indicating use by ringtail possum Wood ducks have recently Wood duck sitting on eggs photo nested Fresh eucaliptus leaves 2 gliders photo failed wood duck nesting Wood duck sitting on eggs glider colony, no photo micro bats in box, at least one animal eucalyptus leaves indicating recent use by gliders, also signs of feral European bees scratches on tree and lid of box. no internal signs of use Fresh eucaliptus leaves indicating recent use by gliders, eucalyptus leaves indicating use by gliders, also signs of feral bees ( unsuccessful hive) chew marks around entrance hole, possibly by gliders No signs of vertebrate activity No signs of vertebrate activity 13 Feather tail glider S E Rear entry glider S E glider colony, 2 left as scott approached box 1 juvenile remained photo eucalyptus leaves indicating use by gliders, 15 Possum S no signs of use E Small parrot S eucaliptus leaves indicating Ringtail use photo E use by gliders, also signs of ringtail possum use 17 micro bat S no sign of use No signs of vertebrate activity E Micro bat S E no signs of use, no cobwebs native bee activity 19 King fisher S E Feather tail glider S E King fisher S E Fresh eucaliptus leaves indicating recent use by gliders, no signs of use no signs of use Eucalyptus leaves indicating recent use by gliders 8

10 Box Box type number GPS location Micro bat S no signs of use, no cobwebs E Feather tail glider S no signs of use E small parrot S E no signs of use 25 Rear entry glider S Evidence of Antechinus use Glider colony E micro bat S no signs of use E King fisher S no signs of use E Small Parrot S E rainbow lorikeet nesting, 1 young ready to fledge Eucaliptus leaves indicating recent use by gliders 29 King fisher S E no signs of use 30 small Parrot S fresh eucaliptus leaves indi- Evidence of rainbow lorrikeet nesting, E cating recent use by gliders ants Box number GPS coordinates Box Type S E Antechinus No signs of vertebrate activity 32 S E Wood duck Evidence of wood duck nesting eggshell and down in box ( Photo ) 33 S E Antechinus No signs of vertebrate activity 34 S E chambered bat No signs of vertebrate activity 35 S E Small parrot No signs of vertebrate activity 36 S E Rear entry Glider Native bee hive 37 S E Antechinus 38 S E Rear entry Glider 39 S E Antechinus 40 S E Rear entry Glider European bees Poisoned 41 S E Antechinus 42 S E chambered bat 43 S E Small parrot gecko Eucaliptus leaves indicating use by gliders, entrance hole chewed photo 9

11 Box number GPS coordinates Box Type S E Wood duck No signs of vertebrate activity 45 S E chambered bat No signs of vertebrate activity 46 S E Rear entry Glider 47 S E Small parrot 48 S E Small parrot 49 S E small parrot 50 S E Front entry glider Eucaliptus leaves indicating use by gliders, 51 S E Small parrot 52 S E chambered bat 53 S E chambered bat 54 S E Single chambered bat No signs of vertebrate activity 55 S E Small parrot 56 S E Small parrot 57 S E Wood duck 58 S E Rear entry Glider Glider photo 59 S E Rear entry Glider 60 S E Kingfisher 61 S E rear entry Glider Eucalyptus leaves indicating use by gliders, 62 S E Antechinus 63 S E Rear entry Glider Glider photo 64 S E Rear entry Glider Eucaliptus leaves indicating use by gliders, Antechinus droppings 65 S E Front entry glider 66 S E Antechinus 67 S E Antechinus 10

12 Box number GPS coordinates Box Type S E Antechinus 69 S E Antechinus No signs of vertebrate activity 70 S E Single chambered bat 71 S E chambered bat 72 S E chambered bat 73 S E Rear entry Glider Box number 61, a rear entry glider box, showing fresh eucalyptus leaves consistent with Glider activity 7.Bibliography Churchill, S. ( 1998) Australian Bats. Australia; Reed New Holland, Franks, A & S, ( 2006)Nest Boxes for Wildlife, a Practical Guide, Melbourne; Bloomings Books. Menkhorst, P. Knight F. ( 2001)A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. South Melbourne; Oxford University Press. Morcombe, M. ( 2000)Field Guide to Australian Birds. Archerfeild; Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. Ryan, M. ( ed) ( 1995) Wildlife of Greater Brisbane. South Brisbane; Queensland Museum Smith, G. C. Hogan, L. D. Franks, A. Franks S. ( 2014) Hollow-dependent fauna, artificial fauna boxes and the restoration of Eucalyptus teriticornis open forest on alluvium. Brisbane, CSIRO, 11