Jack Smith Lake

On Saturday I visited Jack Smith Lake, to the south of Sale by 50 kms and north of Yarram and right by the seaside, to privately look for Orange-bellied Parrots on the OBP survey weekend. Thank you Duncan for providing lots of good geographical information as to where they could be -- based on a sighting back in 1982. I didn't have high hopes -- and wasn't disappointed. I spent about 4 hours there walking about 4 km across the eastern edge of Lamb Lake and the southern edge of JSL itself. I think I saw one pair of Blue-winged Parrot [no photo] plus another 40 species. A standout were a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles.

First cab off the rank, as I alighted from the car within 400 metres of the entrance, was the continual call of Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo. There were several around calling almost continually. At one stage, some White-fronted Chats gave them a seeing-to.

Also on the ground was an Australian Pipit, a relatively common bird and I reckon quite pretty.

Duncan had "warned" me that I may see Striated Field-wrens. And I did. Several families in fact. These ones were to the east of Lamb Lake.

After my walk around Lamb Lake, I motored down to the southern extreme of JSL and parked. There is a bit of water in JSL at the moment and plenty of associated birds.

Black Swans -- about 90 in all

Banded Stilts

Some nice ducklings in front of the stilts

Who do these belong to?

Yes. Mr and Mrs Australian Shelduck

After JSL I went further south to Robertson's Beach to look for Striated Pardalote. See next blog post.