Appendix 3. Management Strategies for the Discovery Bay Shorebird Site
The following aims and management strategies are included in the Discovery Bay Parks Management Plan (Parks Victoria 2004). Where necessary, additional details are provided below to assist in implementing management strategies.
Section of plan
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Management strategy in plan relevant to shorebird conservation
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Additional information to assist with implementation for shorebirds
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4.2. Rivers and wetlands
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Work as a lead agency with the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority to prepare a Glenelg River Estuary Management Plan that includes protocols for opening the Glenelg River. Work with the Gournditch-Mara people and Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, and other agencies and community groups as appropriate.
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Areas near the mouth of the Glenelg River are important for Sanderling and Little Tern. The needs of shorebirds should be considered when making these plans.
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4.4. Fauna and Appendix 2
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Manage significant fauna in accordance with approved action statements, recovery plans and other relevant documents (Appendix 2) in co-operation with the Aboriginal Gournditch-Mara community.
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Implement relevant provisions of Little Tern Management Plan (Murray and Reside 1994).
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Discovery Bay is a major stronghold for Hooded Plover. Poor breeding success is due to nest disturbance (walkers, four-wheel-drive beach use) and foxes. Implement Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 Action Statement (Number 9) for Hooded Plover.
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Significant fauna includes shorebirds, particularly those for which Discovery Bay is recognised as internationally important. It is important to identify key areas of habitat for significant shorebirds and ensure their protection.
Sanderling are heavily dependent on the pupa (maggots) of flies which lay their eggs in beach washed rotting seaweed (algae). It is essential therefore that removal of beach washed algae or seaweed be avoided.
The actions for Hooded Plover will also help Red-capped Plover, Pied Oystercatcher breeding.
Liase with South Australian conservation agencies and volunteer groups as Sanderling also use the beaches between the Glenelg River mouth and the mouth of the Murray.
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4.4. Fauna
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Encourage and support research, surveys and monitoring of threatened fauna, especially Hooded Plover, to identify their distribution and ecological requirements, and manage accordingly.
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Continue surveys of Hooded Plovers and Little Tern. Support for more frequent shorebird surveys is desirable.
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Fauna
6.1. Information, interpretation and education
6.2. Vehicular access
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Reduce the impact of recreational activities and illegal off-road driving on ground-nesting birds through education, and enforcement as necessary (sections 6.1 and 6.2).
Ensure that information, interpretation and education materials highlight the requirement to avoid disturbance to fauna (section 6.1).
Ensure that promotion, and educational and interpretive material:
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highlights the requirement for walkers to avoid disturbance to fauna, especially ground-nesting shore birds during seasonal breeding periods (section 4.4) and specify major seasonal breeding times;
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highlights the impacts of recreational activities such as illegal off-road driving on values, especially ground-nesting birds and Indigenous cultural heritage.
Prevent illegal off-road vehicle use, especially vehicle use in dune fields, in a working partnership with local police, key user groups and local landowners. Where appropriate, assist landholders to fence the Coastal Park boundary to deter illegal four-wheel-drive and trail-bike access.
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These actions are particularly important during the nesting period for Hooded Plover, Red-capped Plover, Pied Oystercatcher.
Land yachting and kite surfing are becoming increasingly popular activities on beaches. These activities have the potential to disturb shorebirds and they should be monitored and, if necessary, controlled.
Ensure fishers are among the visitors targeted by such interpretive material.
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Section of plan
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Management strategy in plan relevant to shorebird conservation
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Additional information to assist with implementation for shorebirds
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4.4. Fauna
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Encourage monitoring of fauna species that may be disturbed by visitors, management activities or environmental change, particularly beach-nesting birds and species inhabiting swamps and heaths, in partnerships with volunteers and local naturalists.
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Implement Hooded Plover and Little Tern Management Plans, including beach exclosures where appropriate. Partnerships with local volunteers may enable monitoring of nests and visitors.
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4.4. Fauna
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Ensure all sightings of significant species in the planning area are recorded in the Environmental Information System.
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Birds Australia and the Australasian Wader Studies Group can provide information on shorebird sightings
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4.7 Pest plants and animals
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Continue to develop and implement control programs aimed at major pest plants (appendix 3) and major pest animals (rabbits, foxes and feral cats) and recent introductions that can be eradicated, working in co-operation with the Gournditch-Mara, and with neighbours and other community and Friends groups as appropriate (sections 7.1 and 7.2). The priority will be to control pest species that pose greatest threats to native flora or fauna.
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It is important to control both foxes and feral cats to ensure long term survival of beach nesting shorebirds and prevent disturbance at shorebird roost sites.
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4.8. Soil conservation
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Where practicable, selectively control dune erosion at sites where park or adjacent assets are threatened, or where erosion is clearly resulting from visitor use.
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Marram grass has been implicated in the reduction in breeding by Hooded Plover in Tasmania.
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4.8. Soil conservation
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Manage all vehicle access to the coast across the Bridgewater Bay dunes to protect park values (section 6.2).
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Some Hooded Plovers nest in the dunes. Chicks of Hooded Plover and Pied Oystercatcher often shelter in wheel ruts and are run over by vehicles.
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4.8. Soil conservation
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Restore and manage eroded sites caused by vehicular and beach access at Murrels Beach, Bridgewater Bay dunes south of Nagorckas Road, Shelley Beach, Nobles Rocks, Lake Monibeong Road and other sites as needed and in co-operation with community groups (section 7.1).
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A survey of Hooded Plover nest sites should be undertaken before replanting begins. Hooded Plovers often nest in blowouts. Plantings should be restricted to months when birds are not breeding.
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4.8. Soil conservation
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Work with community interest and user groups to minimise the impacts of walkers, surfers and anglers, particularly along the Great South West Walk and other tracks leading down cliff faces and across the dunes, and take action where necessary to minimise erosion.
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Make sure brochures and signs mention ground nesting shorebirds and visiting migratory birds and appropriate behaviour by walkers towards these species, as recommended in Section 6.1 of the plan.
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4.8. Soil conservation
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Monitor impacts from horse riding, and take appropriate action to ensure horse riding only occurs at approved locations and erosion problems are not created. Encourage riders to assist in restoration programs (section 7.1).
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It would be useful to survey horse riding areas to see if Hooded Plover or Pied Oystercatcher nest there.
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6.1. Information, interpretation and education
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Develop and deliver key messages (themes) through information shelters, display, Park Notes and interpretive programs, and in accordance with table 3 (relevant sections below).
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Develop and maintain educational signage about regulations in relation to dog access and management for the ocean beach.
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Develop and maintain interpretive signage in relation to Little Tern (breeding area) at Glenelg River Estuary and beach.
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Improve recognition of Discovery Bay Coastal Park as a site of international importance for shorebirds and develop appropriate interpretive materials.
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6.5. Fishing
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Monitor any impacts on park values associated with recreational fishing and fisher access and, if necessary, take appropriate action in consultation with angling groups. Promote practices that are safe, and environmentally and culturally and user-friendly.
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Discarded fishing line is a problem for shorebirds especially Pied Oystercatchers as it wraps around and amputates their legs.
Bait digging for cockles and worms and collecting from rocks may severely impact Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers by removing their food source.
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Section of plan
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Management strategy in plan relevant to shorebird conservation
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Additional information to assist with implementation for shorebirds
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6.8. Horse riding
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Management strategies relating to horse-riding.
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Areas used for horse riding should be surveyed for their use by shorebirds at different times of the year. Hooded Plover chicks are vulnerable to horse riders as they spend most of their time by the water. They crouch down to avoid detection often in wheel ruts or other depressions and do not run away from a “predator”. Too much disturbance lessens the feeding time available and they may die of starvation.
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6.9. Dogs
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Allow dogs on leashes in Special Management Area–Recreation on Bridgewater Bay Beach and Nelson foreshore, and on tracks leading directly to these areas from nearby carparks (except the access track at the Shelley Beach end of Bridgewater Bay beach). Prohibit dogs in all other areas within the planning area except as specifically authorised under National Parks (Park) Regulations 2003.
Undertake frequent education and enforcement activities at sites where dogs are regularly observed and are not permitted.
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Areas where dogs are allowed on leashes should be surveyed for their use by shorebirds at different times of the year.
Hooded Plover chicks are vulnerable to disturbance. Dogs also eat eggs and chicks and chase flocks of migratory waders.
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7.2. Community partnerships
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Liaise with neighbours, community groups, institutions, other bodies and government agencies with interests in or concerns with management of the planning area, and encourage them to work together and with Parks Victoria to resolve management issues. Encourage their involvement in projects as appropriate.
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Birds Australia, AWSG and VWSG will continue to liaise with Parks Victoria regarding shorebird monitoring, research and conservation.
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