Appendix D_Shorebird_survey_report_Final_Jul20_jans edits

4.    Survey area

The area surveyed for this report included the inter-tidal sand banks, semi-permanent islands, mangrove
and saltmarsh foreshore areas and river mouth of the lower Noosa River as depicted in Diagram 2. A total
of 7 observation sites were selected to observe bird species across all preferred habitat in the area. As
much as possible, survey areas were located within line of sight of one another to avoid survey error.

The survey sites extend approximately 1,800 meters directly upstream from the easternmost point of the
river mouth training wall to the western most point of the established islet adjacent to Munna Point. At its
widest in the “Frying Pan” area of the river mouth, the survey area is approximately 1,000 metres wide,
while at its narrowest, the survey area extends just 425 metres from the river mouth training wall to the
established tree line on the north shore. The survey area encompasses an area of around 110 hectares.

                                 Diagram 2: Lower Noosa River – Survey Area




The survey area consists primarily of inter-tidal siliceous sand substrate and semi-permanent, partially
vegetated sand islands rising to a height of around 1.5 metres above mean high tide. The tidal range in
the estuary rarely exceeds 2 metres. The survey area itself is exposed to prevailing winds from the NE
and SW though these were observed to have limited impact on shorebird numbers but for extreme climatic
events.
Vegetation on the four permanent islands in
the survey area consists of lightly vegetated
foredunes with casuarina, wattle, acacia
and banksia to heights of 6-8 meters in the
swales and elevated areas behind. Species
of mangroves fringe some islands.
Foreshore areas on both north and south
banks include inter-tidal mangrove, mud-
flat and saltmarsh habitat punctuated by
intermittent creeks. This habitat borders
more established coastal heath and dry
eucalypt forest on hind dune areas.              The nest of the Red-Capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) disguised amid
                                                 typical foredune vegetation cover in the Noosa River. Credit: Jill Dening




Noosa River – Shorebird Survey Report 2019                                                                            Page 6