ROBERTS BANK TERMINAL 2 TECHNICAL DATA REPORT

Transcription

1 ROBERTS BANK TERMINAL 2 TECHNICAL DATA REPORT Terrestrial Wildlife and Vegetation Songbirds Study Prepared for: Port Metro Vancouver 100 The Pointe, 999 Canada Place Vancouver, BC V6C 3T4 Prepared by: Hemmera Envirochem Inc. 18 th floor 4730 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 0C6 April 2014

2 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Technical Report/Technical Data Report Disclaimer The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency determined the scope of the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project (RBT2 or the Project) and the scope of the assessment in the Final Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines (EISG) issued January 7, The scope of the Project includes the project components and physical activities to be considered in the environmental assessment. The scope of the assessment includes the factors to be considered and the scope of those factors. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared in accordance with the scope of the Project and the scope of the assessment specified in the EISG. For each component of the natural or human environment considered in the EIS, the geographic scope of the assessment depends on the extent of potential effects. At the time supporting technical studies were initiated in 2011, with the objective of ensuring adequate information would be available to inform the environmental assessment of the Project, neither the scope of the Project nor the scope of the assessment had been determined. Therefore, the scope of supporting studies may include physical activities that are not included in the scope of the Project as determined by the Agency. Similarly, the scope of supporting studies may also include spatial areas that are not expected to be affected by the Project. This out-of-scope information is included in the Technical Report (TR)/Technical Data Report (TDR) for each study, but may not be considered in the assessment of potential effects of the Project unless relevant for understanding the context of those effects or to assessing potential cumulative effects.

3 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study - i - April 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) is assessing the potential to develop the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project (RBT2 or the Project), a new three-berth marine terminal at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C. The Project is part of PMV s Container Capacity Improvement Program (CCIP), a long-term strategy to deliver projects to meet anticipated growth in demand for container capacity to The Songbirds Study was conducted as part of an environmental program for the Project, and focused on collecting information to develop an understanding of existing conditions in the study area. This technical data report describes the presence, richness, evenness, and diversity of breeding songbird species in the terrestrial study area at Roberts Bank. The study was planned and completed prior to the Project scope being finalised, and the overall objective of this study was to ensure that adequate information is available to inform a future effects assessment for the Project. Although the Project scope includes less than 1 ha of area above the high-water mark on British Columbia Railway Company (BCR) owned lands, the study area paralleled the BCR right-of-way for 1,500 m on either side, from the east end of the Roberts Bank causeway to the junction of Ladner Trunk Road and Highway 91. Unlimited-distance point count surveys were conducted at 25 stations during the early breeding season (May 1 to 2, 2013), late breeding season (June 13 to 14), and fall migration period (August 22 to 23). Thirty-three passerine (i.e., songbirds) and five near-passerine species were observed, with the 10 most abundant species accounting for approximately 92% of observations. Diversity was calculated for each station using the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index and ranged from 0.96 to Evenness was measured using the SW framework (SW evenness) and the Smith and Wilson Evenness Index (E var ), with SW evenness values ranging from 0.58 to 0.97 and E var values ranging from 0.29 to A statistical comparison of diversity and evenness values across distance categories (i.e., 0 to 500, 501 to 1000, and 1001 to 1500 m from rail) and survey intervals (i.e., early breeding season, late breeding season, and fall migration period) revealed no significant differences. Species listed by the BC Ministry of Environment s Conservation Data Centre or the Species at Risk Act (Schedule 1) that were observed during the survey included, barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), barn owl (Tyto alba), and great blue heron, fannini subspecies (Ardea herodias ssp. fannini).

4 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study - ii - April 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... I 1.0 INTRODUCTION PROJECT BACKGROUND SONGBIRD SURVEY OVERVIEW REVIEW OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND DATA METHODS STUDY AREA TEMPORAL SCOPE STUDY METHODS DATA ANALYSIS STUDY RESULTS SPECIES PRESENCE AND RICHNESS SPECIES DIVERSITY AND EVENNESS SPECIES AT-RISK INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS DISCUSSION DISCUSSION OF KEY FINDINGS DATA GAPS AND LIMITATIONS CLOSURE REFERENCES STATEMENT OF LIMITATIONS List of Tables Table 1 Songbirds Study Components and Major Objectives... 1 Table 2 Total Observations, Total Detections, and Percent of Detections for Passerine and Near- Passerine Species Detected During Songbird Surveys Conducted in Delta, B.C Table 3 Species Richness, Species Diversity, and Species Evenness for each Station... 9 Table 4 Species Diversity and Evenness for the Three Distance Categories and Three Survey Intervals Table 5 Summary of Non-songbird Observations... 11

5 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study - iii - April 2014 List of Figures Figure 1 Total Count of Birds and Species Detected Using Habitat within a 50m Radius of each Station, Delta, B.C... 8 Figure 2 E var versus SW Evenness Index Values for all 25 Stations List of Appendices Appendix A Appendix B Figures Tables

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7 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April INTRODUCTION This section provides an overview of the study, including project background, and study rationale, components and major objectives. 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project (RBT2 or Project) is a proposed new three-berth marine terminal at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C. that could provide 2.4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit containers) of additional container capacity annually. The Project is part of Port Metro Vancouver s Container Capacity Improvement Program, a long-term strategy to deliver projects to meet anticipated growth in demand for container capacity to Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) has retained Hemmera to undertake environmental studies to inform a future effects assessment for the Project. This technical data report describes the results of the Songbirds Study. 1.2 SONGBIRD SURVEY OVERVIEW A review of the available information and the state of knowledge was completed for avifauna to identify key data gaps and areas of uncertainty within the general RBT2 area. This technical data report describes the study findings for key components identified from this gap analysis. Study components, major objectives and a brief overview are provided in Table 1. Table 1 Songbirds Study Components and Major Objectives Component Major Objective Brief Overview 1) Literature review 2) Field surveys Establish current state of knowledge through background literature review. Document presence, richness, evenness, and diversity of breeding songbirds. Review available literature on breeding songbirds to determine the current state of knowledge in a regional and local context. Collect baseline data on breeding songbirds in southwest Delta from studies conducted between May and August Songbirds belong to the order Passeriformes and are also known as passerines or perching birds. For the purposes of this study, near-passerine species such as Columbiformes (pigeons and doves), Piciformes (woodpeckers), and Apodiformes (hummingbirds) were also included as songbirds because they fill similar ecological niches and are not included in other Project bird studies. Observations of all other nonsongbird bird species (i.e., game birds, raptors, ducks and geese, gulls, and shorebirds) were documented and included as incidental observations. The overall objective of this study was to assess the presence, richness, diversity, and evenness of breeding songbird species in the terrestrial study area at Roberts Bank. Reliable information about songbirds is important in the context of the proposed Project and will complement current knowledge in the Roberts Bank area and other upland terrestrial studies. Relevant incidental observations will be shared across study programs.

8 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April REVIEW OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND DATA The Lower Mainland, particularly the Fraser River delta, has long been recognised as an important feeding and resting stop for migratory birds travelling along the Pacific Flyway (FREMP 2003). The Boundary Bay, Roberts Bank, and Sturgeon Bank intertidal areas, including adjacent terrestrial habitats, have been designated as Important Bird Area BC017 by Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada (BirdLife Canada 2013). At the nearby Boundary Bay Regional Park (BBRP), 79 passerine and 13 near-passerine species have been observed (Mol 2002), while bird surveys conducted for the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) environmental assessment documented 122 species (including nonpasserines) in terrestrial habitats of the SFPR study area (Robertson Environmental Services Ltd. 2006). The B.C. Conservation Data Centre s (CDC s) Red List contains indigenous species, subspecies, or communities (elements) that the CDC considers Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened in B.C. Extirpated elements no longer exist in the wild in B.C. but occur elsewhere. Endangered elements face imminent extirpation or extinction. Threatened elements are likely to become Endangered if factors which limit their numbers and/or range are not reversed. The CDC s Blue List includes elements of Special Concern, which are sensitive to human activities or natural events, but are not Endangered or Threatened. Although an element may be placed on the Red List or Blue List by the CDC, this does not automatically confer protection to the element or its habitat; however, it does identify the element to provincial regulators as being of potential sensitivity in the context of an environmental assessment. In parallel with the CDC s Red and Blue lists, the federal Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) makes recommendations to Environment Canada regarding species that should be formally designated as being Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Schedule 1 of SARA lists at-risk wildlife species. Species that were designated as being at-risk by COSEWIC before the creation of SARA must be reassessed according to SARA criteria before they can be added to Schedule 1. Under SARA, the habitat of a Threatened, Endangered, or Extirpated species may be legally protected, provided a recovery plan for the species has been developed and recovery has been deemed feasible.

9 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April METHODS Descriptions for the study spatial and temporal scopes, plus study and data analysis methods are provided below. 3.1 STUDY AREA The study area paralleled the British Columbia Railway Company (BCR) right-of-way, from the east end of the Roberts Bank causeway to the junction of Ladner Trunk Road and Highway 91, and included a 1,500 m buffer on either side of the railway right-of-way (Appendix A: Figure A-1). The 1,500 m buffer was divided into three zones parallel to and on either side of the BCR right-of-way (i.e., 0 to 500 m, 501 to 1,000 m, and 1,001 to 1,500 m). Twenty-four point count stations (herein referred to as stations ) were evenly distributed among each of the six zones, resulting in twelve stations on the north side of the alignment and twelve on the south side (Appendix A: Figure A-1). An additional station was added to the first buffer zone north of the BCR right-of-way on June 14, 2013, allowing for breeding bird activity in North 40 Park Reserve to be captured. If necessary, the number and distribution of stations will allow for the long-term monitoring and application of a before-after-control-impact (BACI) study (Torres et al. 2011). The nomenclature chosen for the stations was in the form of N/S - # - #. The first letter (i.e., N or S) represents whether the point is located north or south of the BCR right-of-way. The second digit (i.e., 1, 2, or 3) represents which buffer zone the station is located in (where 1 = 0 to 500 m, 2 = 501 to 1,000 m, and 3 = 1,001 to 1,500 m), and the third digit is used to distinguish between points in the same buffer zone (e.g., N-1-3 is the third station located in the first buffer zone north of the BCR right-of-way). 3.2 TEMPORAL SCOPE The songbirds study was intended to capture current-day (baseline) conditions of breeding songbirds in the terrestrial upland study area. Surveys were conducted during the following three survey periods in 2013 to capture seasonal variation in songbird presence: early spring (April 24 to May 08), late spring (June 10 to 24), and fall migration (August 15 to September 07). 3.3 STUDY METHODS Unlimited-distance point count surveys of upland terrestrial habitat were conducted by a team of two biologists to determine the presence, richness, diversity and evenness of breeding songbirds across the study area. Surveys followed the presence / not detected protocols outlined by the Resources Inventory Committee (RIC) for forest and grassland songbirds (RISC 1999).

10 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Potential survey station locations were initially selected during a desktop review of the study area, and were finalised during a March 19, 2013 field reconnaissance. The study area was divided into an east and west section, which were surveyed on consecutive days during each of the survey periods in 2013 (i.e., May 01 to 02, June 13 to 14, and August 22 to 23). To avoid a temporal bias of stations being surveyed at the same time in relation to sunrise, stations were surveyed in a rotating order. Upon arrival at each station, the following information was recorded: Station name and location (UTMs); Surveyors; Date and time; and Weather (i.e., wind, precipitation, temperature, and cloud cover). To capture peak activity, surveys began 15 minutes before sunrise and were completed within a 4.5 hour window. RISC protocols (RISC 1999) state that point counts of five minutes duration are adequate to sample bird richness and abundance; however, point counts of 10 minutes duration were used to compensate for existing noise levels, which were expected to interfere with the detectability of birds at certain stations (e.g., stations located close to arterial roads). To integrate with RISC protocols, detections were recorded for one of three time intervals: zero to three minutes, three to five minutes, or five to 10 minutes. In addition to species and count, bird detections were classified as occurring within or beyond a 50 m radius of the station centre, or as flying over the habitat but not utilizing it. Surveys were not conducted during unsuitable weather conditions, including high winds, steady rain, snow, heavy fog, or abnormal temperatures, as these factors may influence songbird behaviour and may adversely influence songbird detections (RISC 1999). 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS The surveyors recorded field data on hard-copy forms. The data were then entered into a Microsoft Access database, with data domains being used to improve data quality and minimise entry errors. Upon completion of the surveys, the data were subject to quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures to ensure their accuracy and completeness, which entailed ensuring data existed for each survey of each point, validating survey times, clarifying missing data, verifying outliers, and ensuring correct and consistent use of species codes. To understand the structure of songbird communities within the study area, a number of interrelated indices were computed. Species presence, richness, evenness and diversity were computed for each of the 25 stations and evaluated against buffer zone (i.e., distance from BCR right-of-way) and survey period (i.e., early spring, late spring, and fall migration). Species richness refers to the number of species documented whereas the relationship of abundances of all species to each other within a community is

11 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 termed evenness and can be viewed as a measure of the homogeneity of the diversity estimate. Communities dominated by one or a few species are considered to have low evenness, while those having a more even distribution of species have high evenness. Finally, the relationship between species richness and evenness is termed species diversity, with more diverse communities possessing a large number of evenly distributed species and less diverse communities possessing fewer species that are dominated by one (or a few) species. Evenness values approaching 100% indicate stations that are close to achieving their maximum species diversity, while lower values are indicative of communities dominated by a few very abundant species. In order to standardise a radius of detection across all stations, only observations of songbirds using the habitat within 50 m of a survey station were used in the analyses. The Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index (SW) (Shannon and Weaver 1963) was used to analyse diversity at each of the 25 survey stations. The SW produces a measure of diversity that takes into account the abundance of species. Two different evenness indices were used, as suggested by Beisel et al (2003): one based upon the SW framework (SW evenness) and one named the Smith and Wilson evenness index (E var ) (Smith and Wilson 1996). An ANOVA test was run to compare diversity and evenness values at each station using buffer zone and survey period as factors. All calculations were conducted using Microsoft Excel 2010 and statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 21.0.

12 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April STUDY RESULTS This section describes songbird species presence, richness, diversity and evenness based on field observations. Section 4.1 addresses all passerine and near-passerine observations, while all subsequent sections address only those within 50 m of a point. Full survey results are provided in Appendix B: Table B-4. Incidental observations for non-songbird species are also provided. 4.1 SPECIES PRESENCE AND RICHNESS A total of 5,212 passerine and near-passerine individuals were observed during this study, representing 38 species (Table 2). Thirty-four species were detected within 50 m of a point, 31 species were observed outside of 50 m, and 19 species were observed flying over the study area. No species were only detected flying over the study area, meaning that all species were observed to be using the local habitat. The four passerines not observed within 50 m of a station were yellow warbler, western tanager, northern flicker, and house wren. The total number of birds detected was strongly influenced by a single flock of an estimated 2,000 European starlings that flew over station S-2-1 during the fall migration survey. As a consequence of this flock, European starlings accounted for almost 70% of total number of birds observed (Table 2). Even without inclusion of this flock, European starlings were still the most abundant species observed. The 10 most abundant songbird species accounted for nearly 92% of the total observations. Six species were only detected once during this study, five of which were observations of a single individual (Table 2). Thirty-two species were observed during the early breeding survey period, 29 during the late breeding survey period, and 26 during the fall migration survey period. This significant gradual reduction in diversity (df = 2, F = 28.61, p < 0.001) was expected as songbirds are most vocal in early spring while establishing and defending territories. Twenty species were observed during all three survey periods, nine were observed during two of three survey periods, and nine were observed during one of three survey periods (Appendix B: Table B-2). Of the nine species only observed during a single survey period, five were observed during early breeding surveys, two during late breeding surveys, and two during fall migration (Appendix B: Table B-2). Thirty-one species were observed at least once at a 0 to 500 m station, 28 were observed at least once at a 500 to 1,000 m station, and 29 were observed at least once at a 1,000 to 1,500 m station. An ANOVA test using the number of species detected at each point as the dependant variable and the station s distance from the BCR right-of-way found no significant relationship (df = 2; F = 0.409; p = 0.669).

13 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table 2 Total Observations, Total Detections, and Percent of Detections for Passerine and Near-Passerine Species Detected During Songbird Surveys Conducted in Delta, B.C. Species Number of Birds Detected Number of Times Detected % of Total Detections Passerine/ Near- Passerine European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 3, P Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) P Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) P Brewer's blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) P Northwestern crow (Corvus caurinus) P American robin (Turdus migratorius) P Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) P American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) P Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) P House sparrow (Passer domesticus) P White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) P Eurasian collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto) NP Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) P House finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) P Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) P Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) P Rock pigeon (Columba livia) NP Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) P Common raven (Corvus corax) P Pine siskin (Carduelis pinus) P Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) P Purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) P Golden-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) P Marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris) P Cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) P Orange-crowned warbler (Vermivora celata) P Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) NP Spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus) P Bewick's wren (Thryomanes bewickii) P Violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) P Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) NP Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) NP House wren (Troglodytes aedon) P Western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) P Willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) P Wilson's warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) P Yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia) P Yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata) P

14 N-1-1 N-1-4 N-1-5 N-1-2 N-1-3 N-2-2 N-2-1 N-2-3 N-2-4 N-3-3 N-3-2 N-3-4 N-3-1 S-1-4 S-1-2 S-1-1 S-1-3 S-2-4 S-2-1 S-2-2 S-2-3 S-3-1 S-3-2 S-3-4 S-3-3 Count Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Twenty of the 38 songbird species detected were found at least once at each of the three distances from the railway whereas 10 species were detected at two out of three of the distance categories. These ten species were therefore each absent from one of the three distance category; these absences are nearly equally distributed between the categories and show no trend (i.e., three not detected from 0 to 500 m, three not detected from 500 to 1,000 m, and four not detected from 1,000 to 1,500 m). Eight species were only detected at a single distance from the tracks: four only detected from 0 to 500 m, one only detected from 500 to 1,000 m, and three only detected from 1,000 to 1,500 m. These numbers also show no trend. Results relating to distance categories are shown in Appendix B: Table B-3. Species richness across the 25 stations ranged from 3 to 14 species (Table 3; Figure 1; Appendix A: Figures A-2 and A-3) and was not affected by distance from the BCR right-of-way (df = 2; F = 0.596; p = 0.560; Table 4). Figure 1 Total Count of Birds and Species Detected Using Habitat within a 50m Radius of each Station, Delta, B.C Birds Species N S Station information Note: Stations are grouped by north/south and then distance category; within these groupings stations are sorted by descending species diversity. 4.2 SPECIES DIVERSITY AND EVENNESS Within the 50 m radius, 921 songbirds were observed, representing 34 species. A diversity index is a unitless metric where higher values indicate greater diversity and lower numbers indicate lower diversity. Shannon-Weaver diversity indices for survey stations ranged from 0.96 to 2.28, indicating pronounced difference in species diversity between stations (Table 3; Appendix A: Figure A-4).

15 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Evenness (i.e., the percent of the maximum diversity possible) was calculated for each station using two different metrics (i.e., SW evenness and E var ). The two evenness measures gave different results, as expected, but showed strong correlation (r 2 = 0.77) (Figure 2). SW evenness values ranged from 0.58 to 0.97 (Appendix A: Figure A-5), while E var values ranged from 0.29 to 0.93 (Table 3; Appendix A: Figure A-6). As evenness is influenced by the relative abundance of all species, communities dominated by one or a few species tended to have lower evenness estimates while those with a more even distribution of species possessed high evenness. Table 3 Species Richness, Species Diversity, and Species Evenness for each Station Note: Station # of Birds # of Species SW Index SW Evenness E var N N N N N N N N N N N N N S S S S S S S S S S S S SW Index = Shannon-Weaver diversity index; SW Evenness = Evenness Index; E var = Smith and Weston evenness index

16 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure 2 E var versus SW Evenness Index Values for all 25 Stations 1 R² = E var SW Evenness ANOVA tests were run to test for differences in diversity and evenness based on distance category. These ANOVAs show no trend in either diversity (df = 2; F = 0.811; p = 0.457) or evenness (SW evenness: df = 2; F = 0.350; p = 0.709) (E var : df = 2; F = 0.845; p = 0.443). The cumulative values for the groups are shown in Table 4; the range in the values seen here is much smaller than was found in the station specific values in Table 3. The range of values calculated for the three survey intervals is also much smaller than that calculated for the individual stations; however, a moderate drop in diversity was seen in the fall migration interval as might be expected as birds start to migrate south and are no longer conspicuously defending territories.

17 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table 4 Species Diversity and Evenness for the Three Distance Categories and Three Survey Intervals Distance Category # of Birds Species Richness SW Index SW Evenness 0 to 500 m to 1,000 m ,000 to 1,500 m Survey Interval Early breeding Note: Late breeding Fall migration SW Index = Shannon-Weaver diversity index; SW Evenness = Evenness Index; E var = Smith and Weston evenness index E var 4.3 SPECIES AT-RISK No provincially Red-listed or SARA listed passerine or near-passerine bird species were detected. The Blue-listed barn swallow (also listed as Threatened by COSEWIC, but not listed under SARA) was the third most abundant passerine observed during the study. No other at-risk songbird species were detected during the surveys. 4.4 INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS Non-songbird species observations are summarised in Table 5. In total, 660 birds representing 23 species were observed. Only nine of these non-passerine species were observed using habitat within 50 m of the station. The most abundant non-songbird species were western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). All bird observations (passerines, near-passerines, and nonpasserines) can be found in Appendix B: Table B-1. Table 5 Summary of Non-songbird Observations Species # of Birds Detected # of Times Detected # of Birds Detected within 50 m # of Times Detected within 50 m Western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) Canada goose (Branta canadensis) Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

18 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Species # of Birds Detected # of Times Detected # of Birds Detected within 50 m # of Times Detected within 50 m Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) American wigeon (Anas americana) Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Northern harrier (Circus cyaneus) Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) Common loon (Gavia immer) Gadwall (Anas strepera) Greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Barn owl (Tyto alba) Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii) Wilson s snipe (Gallinago delicata) Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Merlin (Falco columbarius) Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) Three of the non-passerine species are considered at-risk provincially or are listed under SARA Schedule 1. Barn owl and Great-blue heron, fannini subspecies, are both CDC Blue-listed and considered to be of Special Concern in SARA Schedule 1. Observed peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) were either of the anatum or pealei subspecies; both of which are listed as Special Concern in SARA Schedule 1. The anatum subspecies is Red-listed by CDC whereas the pealei subspecies is Blue-listed.

19 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April DISCUSSION A discussion of the major results arising from the Songbird Study and data gaps is provided below. 5.1 DISCUSSION OF KEY FINDINGS Baseline avian inventory data were collected at 25 stations within the study area. Thirty-three passerine and five near-passerine species were observed, all of which utilised habitats in the area. The total number of species observed is a relatively small proportion of the 79 passerine and 13 near-passerines species recorded in the nearby BBRP (Mol 2002). The low number of species observed during this current study may be due to a number of reasons: 1) the list for BBRP incorporates a much higher survey effort and accordingly includes some accidentals and other rarities; 2) the study area only included agricultural and low-density residential habitats, thereby not including some habitats found within BBRP; and 3) the limited temporal scope of this study meant that sampling was only conducted during the breeding and early migration seasons and so likely missed late migrants or winter residents. The most abundant bird species found in the study area was European starling, an invasive species which accounted for ~70% of all bird observations. Starlings were more than ten times as abundant as the next most abundant species, the savannah sparrow. The high number of starlings included a single flock of an estimated 2,000 birds seen flying south during the fall migration surveys. Other invasive species observed included Eurasian collared-dove (53), rock pigeon (23), and house sparrow (58). Overall invasive species accounted for greater than 72% of all songbird detections; however, that number drops to 27% of detections within 50 m of a station. Thirty-three of the 34 native songbirds detected are not presently considered to be at risk and are quite common in Delta and in B.C. The Bewick s wren is the only example of a songbird that has a small range within B.C., limited to southern Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland area around Vancouver. One at-risk passerine species, the barn swallow, was observed during surveys. The barn swallow breeds in all Canadian provinces as well as the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Within Canada there are an estimated 4.9 million barn swallows (COSEWIC 2011). Despite a very large range and population within Canada, the barn swallow is Blue-listed by the provincial CDC and Threatened by COSEWIC due to a concerning and poorly understood population decline in recent decades; the Canadian population is estimated to have dropped 55% since the mid-90s (COSEWIC 2011). The cause of this population decline is believed to be a combination of habitat loss/degradation, pollution, climate change, altered/reduced flying insect populations, ecto-parasites, and competition with invasive species (e.g., house sparrows) (COSEWIC 2011). Three other at-risk avian species (i.e., great blue heron, barn owl, and peregrine falcon) were observed during surveys, but are outside of the study scope.

20 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 One diversity index and two evenness indexes were calculated for each survey station, as well as for each distance from rail category and each survey period. These values showed high variability between points, but low variability between distance categories and seasons. This study was not intended to explain the existing variability in these values, but to establish current values. 5.2 DATA GAPS AND LIMITATIONS Surveys were conducted as planned under appropriate weather conditions and without any major complications. Surveyor ability to detect birds may have been compromised by traffic, construction, wind, and canine noise, but this was unavoidable given the location of the study area. Increased sampling, particularly early in the season, may have detected additional species, but the survey frequency was considered to be sufficient for the purposes of this study. One survey station (N-1-5) was added after the early breeding interval had been completed in order to sample the unique habitat found in the North 40 Park Reserve. As a result, this station was only surveyed twice, whereas every other station was surveyed three times. Despite this shortcoming, the data from this point were comparable to all the others in every measure used (see Table 3).

21 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April CLOSURE Major authors and reviewers of this technical data report are listed below, along with their signatures. Report prepared by: Hemmera Envirochem Inc. Chris Chutter, B.Sc. Biologist Vanessa Sadler, B.Sc., BIT Biologist Report peer reviewed by: Hemmera Envirochem Inc. Jay Rourke, M.Sc., R.P.Bio. Senior Ecologist

22 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April REFERENCES Beisel, J., P. Usseglio, V. Bachman, and J. Moreteau A comparative analysis of evenness index sensitivity. International Review of Hydrobiology 88:3 15. BirdLife Canada Important bird areas (IBA) Canada. Available at Accessed 12 Aug Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) COSEWIC assessment and status report on the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), Ottawa. Available at Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP) A living working river - the estuary management plan for the Fraser River. Fraser River Estuary Management Program, Burnaby, B.C. Available at Accessed 12 Aug Mol, A. L Boundary Bay regional park bird checklist. Originally compiled in 1995 by Allen Poynter. Available at Accessed 23 Jan Robertson Environmental Services Ltd Vegetation and wildlife impact assessment. Technical volume 12 of the environmental assessment application for south Fraser perimeter road. RISC Inventory methods for forest and grassland songbirds. Version 2.0. Standards for components of British Columbia s biodiversity No.15, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Resources Inventory Branch for the Terrestrial Ecosystems Task Force, Resources Inventory Committee, Victoria, B.C. Shannon, C. E., and W. Weaver The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois, USA. Smith, B., and J. Wilson A consumer s guide to evenness indices. Oikos 76: Torres, A., C. Palacin, J. Seoane, and J. C. Alonso Assessing the effects of a highway on a threatened species using Before-During-After and Before-During-After-Control-Impact designs. Biological Conservation 144:

23 Port Metro Vancouver Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April STATEMENT OF LIMITATIONS This report was prepared by Hemmera Envirochem Inc. ( Hemmera ), based on fieldwork conducted by Hemmera, for the sole benefit and exclusive use of Port Metro Vancouver. The material in it reflects Hemmera s best judgment in light of the information available to it at the time of preparing this Report. Any use that a third party makes of this Report, or any reliance on or decision made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Hemmera accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions taken based on this Report. Hemmera has performed the work as described above and made the findings and conclusions set out in this Report in a manner consistent with the level of care and skill normally exercised by members of the environmental science profession practicing under similar conditions at the time the work was performed. This Report represents a reasonable review of the information available to Hemmera within the established Scope, work schedule and budgetary constraints. The conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon applicable legislation existing at the time the Report was drafted. Any changes in the legislation may alter the conclusions and/or recommendations contained in the Report. Regulatory implications discussed in this Report were based on the applicable legislation existing at the time this Report was written. In preparing this Report, Hemmera has relied in good faith on information provided by others as noted in this Report, and has assumed that the information provided by those individuals is both factual and accurate. Hemmera accepts no responsibility for any deficiency, misstatement or inaccuracy in this Report resulting from the information provided by those individuals.

24 APPENDIX A Figures

25 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-1 Study Area, Distance Category Buffers and Station Locations Assessed During Songbird Surveys in Delta, B.C.

26 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-2 Relative Number of Songbirds at each of the 25 Stations

27 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-3 Relative Number of Species at each of the 25 Stations

28 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-4 Relative SW Index Value at each of the 25 Stations

29 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-5 Relative SW Evenness Value at each of the 25 Stations

30 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX A Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Figure A-6 Relative E var Value at each of the 25 Stations

31 APPENDIX B Tables

32 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX B Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table B-1 All Bird Species Reference and Detection Information Sorted by Decreasing Abundance English Name Scientific Name 4-Letter Code Number of Birds Detected Number of Times Detected Passerine European starling Sturnus vulgaris EUST Y Savannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis SAVS Y Barn swallow Hirundo rustica BARS Y Brewer's blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus BRBL Y Northwestern crow Corvus caurinus NOCR Y Western sandpiper Calidris mauri WESA N Mallard Anas platyrhynchos MALL N American robin Turdus migratorius AMRO Y Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus RWBL Y American goldfinch Carduelis tristis AMGO Y Glaucous-winged gull Larus glaucescens GWGU N Common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas COYE Y Canada goose Branta canadensis CANG 60 5 N House sparrow Passer domesticus HOSP Y Black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola BBPL 58 8 N White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys WCSP Y Killdeer Charadrius vociferus KILL N Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus BAEA N Eurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto EUCD NP Black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus BCCH Y House finch Carpodacus mexicanus HOFI Y Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater BHCO Y Dunlin Calidris alpina DUNL 40 1 N Cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum CEDW Y Great blue heron Ardea herodias GBHE N Rock pigeon Columba livia ROPI 23 8 NP Tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor TRES 18 8 Y American wigeon Anas americana AMWI 18 6 N Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis RTHA N Common raven Corvus corax CORA 11 9 Y Pine siskin Carduelis pinus PISI 11 3 Y Northern harrier Circus cyaneus NOHA 10 9 N Song sparrow Melospiza melodia SOSP 9 9 Y Purple finch Carpodacus purpureus PUFI 9 8 Y

33 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX B Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 English Name Scientific Name 4-Letter Code Number of Birds Detected Number of Times Detected Passerine Golden-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla GCSP 9 5 Y Marsh wren Cistothorus palustris MAWR 8 8 Y Cliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota CLSW 8 1 Y Orange-crowned warbler Vermivora celata OCWA 7 6 Y Rufous hummingbird Selasphorus rufus RUHU 7 6 NP Spotted towhee Pipilo maculatus SPTO 7 6 Y Ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus RNEP 5 5 N Bewick's wren Thryomanes bewickii BEWR 4 4 Y Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus PEFA 4 4 N Violet-green swallow Tachycineta thalassina VGSW 4 3 Y Downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens DOWO 3 3 NP Common loon Gavia immer COLO 3 2 N Gadwall Anas strepera GADW 2 2 N Northern flicker Colaptes auratus NOFL 2 2 NP Greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca GRYE 2 1 N Barn owl Tyto alba BNOW 1 1 N Cackling goose Branta hutchinsii CACG 1 1 N Wilson s snipe Gallinago delicata WISN 1 1 N Cooper's hawk Accipiter cooperii COHA 1 1 N House wren Troglodytes aedon HOWR 1 1 Y Merlin Falco columbarius MERL 1 1 N Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus SSHA 1 1 N Western tanager Piranga ludoviciana WETA 1 1 Y Willow flycatcher Empidonax traillii WIFL 1 1 Y Wilson's warbler Wilsonia pusilla WIWA 1 1 Y Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia YWAR 1 1 Y Yellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronata YRWA 1 1 Y

34 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX B Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table B-2 Species Detected During All Survey Periods, Two of Three Survey Periods, and One Survey Period While Conducting Songbird Surveys in Delta, B.C. Detected during all survey periods American goldfinch American robin Barn swallow Black-capped chickadee Brewer's blackbird Brown-headed cowbird Common raven Common yellowthroat Eurasian collared-dove European starling Detected during two of three survey periods Bewick's wren Cedar waxwing Downy woodpecker Marsh wren Northern flicker Detected only during 'early breeding' surveys Golden-crowned sparrow Pine siskin Wilson's warbler Detected only during 'late breeding' surveys Cliff swallow Detected only during 'fall migration' surveys House wren Note: House finch House sparrow Northwestern crow Red-winged blackbird Rock pigeon Rufous hummingbird Savannah sparrow Song sparrow Spotted towhee White-crowned sparrow Orange-crowned warbler Purple finch Tree swallow Violet-green swallow Yellow warbler Yellow-rumped warbler Willow flycatcher Western tanager The first group shows the species detected during each of the three survey periods. The second group shows the species detected during two out of three survey periods. The last three groups show the species that were only detected during a single survey period, and can therefore be suspected of only irregularly using the habitat in the study area.

35 Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX B Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table B-3 Species Detected in each of the Three Distance Categories, Two of the Three Distance Categories, and One Distance Category While Conducting Songbird Surveys in Delta, B.C. Detected at each of the three distance categories American goldfinch American robin Barn swallow Black-capped chickadee Brewer's blackbird Brown-headed cowbird Cedar waxwing Common yellowthroat Eurasian collared-dove European starling House finch House sparrow Marsh wren Northwestern crow Orange-crowned warbler Red-winged blackbird Rock pigeon Savannah sparrow Tree swallow Not detected at White-crowned sparrow 0-500m m m Bewick's wren Common raven Downy woodpecker Northern flicker Golden-crowned sparrow Purple finch Violet-green swallow Rufous hummingbird Song sparrow Only detected at 0-500m m m Cliff swallow Yellow warbler House wren Western tanager Wilson's warbler Yellow-rumped warbler Note: Pine siskin Willow flycatcher First section lists the species found in all distance categories, second section lists those found in two out of three distance categories listed under the category they were missing from, and the third section lists species only found in one distance category listed under the category they were found in.

36 Station Date Start Time Season East/west tracks Time Period 1 station 2 Species Code 3 Count Sex Port Metro Vancouver APPENDIX B Hemmera RBT2 Songbirds Study April 2014 Table B-4 Survey Data Collected during Songbird Surveys Conducted in Delta, B.C., Only Passerines and Near-Passerines are Shown N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G RWBL 1 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West F EUST 6 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West L BCCH 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West F EUST 6 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West F EUST 2 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West F EUST 15 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G RWBL 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G RWBL 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G AMRO 1 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West L BCCH 1 U N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West L SAVS 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G SAVS 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G WCSP 1 M N-2-3 5/1/2013 5:35 Early Breeding West G WCSP 1 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G SAVS 1 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West F NOCR 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G RWBL 2 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G RWBL 1 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G RWBL 2 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G SAVS 1 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G NOCR 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G BRBL 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West F BHCO 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West L COYE 1 M N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West G EUST 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West F EUST 1 U N-1-2 5/1/2013 5:52 Early Breeding West L COYE 1 M S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L BCCH 2 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West G AMRO 1 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West F BRBL 2 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L AMGO 2 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L AMGO 1 M S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West F BHCO 1 M S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West F EUST 10 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West G NOCR 1 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L PUFI 1 M S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L HOSP 1 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West L NOCR 1 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West G SAVS 2 U S-1-2 5/1/2013 6:08 Early Breeding West G SAVS 1 M S-2-2 5/1/2013 6:34 Early Breeding West L PUFI 1 M