Sooty Owl Nest Detection Report – 298-519-0002 'Mr. Ed'
VicForests' active logging coupe 298-519-0002 was investigated to assess the presence/absence of threatened species in an area of ash forest threatened by clearfell logging. Wildlife of The Central Highlands (WOTCH) surveys identified a large (suspected Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans)) stag in coupe 298-519-0002, abundant with obvious hollows of varying sizes. At the base of the stag, owl pellets were first detected on the 16th of August, and upon revisiting the site on the 28th of August, additional fresh owl pellets were detected, and some were taken as a sample for species identification purposes. Photos of the pellets & specifically the bone material within were sent off to an expert for identification. We received confirmation from the expert that the pellets belonged to a Tyto tenebricosa (Sooty Owl), and the consensus was that the stag appeared to be a suitable nesting/roosting site for Sooty Owls. An active search survey by WOTCH also detected a Sooty Owl approximately 450m from the stag on the 20th August. A follow up survey on the 30th of August detected a Sooty Owl nest with a juvenile owl inside the hollow. This report informs the Department (DELWP) that an active Sooty Owl nest and high quality breeding/foraging habitat is under imminent threat from VicForests clearfell logging, and the Department must enforce the relevant protective prescriptions as detailed in the results section of this report.