The birds of Jack Smith Lake.
Jul 14th, 2008 by Duncan
On the coast, south of Sale, Victoria, lies Jack Smith Lake. Now a shallow intermittent saline lake, in Pleistocene times it was an embayment with tidal flows, and the archaeological evidence shows that the Brataualong people feasted on oysters, cockles, and snapper from the lake. Then. during the last one thousand years the sand barrier formed, tidal flows ceased, and the embayment became the lake as we know it today. Jack Smith and the adjacent Lambs Lake are dependent for their water on two creeks, Warrigal Creek, and Morris Creek, and in times of normal rainfall, in season the whole area becomes a haven for a wide variety of bird life, especially migratory waders which can be present in thousands. I’ve been birding at JSL for well over twenty years, and have scored quite a few lifers there, including Terek Sandpiper, Osprey, White-winged Black Tern, and the bird this post is gradually working around to, the Blue-winged Parrot.
When the lake dries out it becomes a vast garden of Beaded Glasswort, Sarcocornia quinqueflora, a key food plant for the highly endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, and its close relative the Blue-winged Parrot, which migrate across Bass Strait from Tasmania, to spend the winter months along the central and western Victorian, and eastern South Australian coast. In 1984 Birds Australia started the regular surveys and monitoring of the OBP population, and that’s when I got involved, checking out Jack Smith and Lambs Lakes, where in 1980 and 1983, OBPs were recorded at the latter location. Every July I’ve made the pilgrimage down there, sometimes with friends, sometimes alone, to walk for miles searching for the elusive OBP, but only finding Blue-wings. In the early days the lake was in excellent condition, and we used to see Blue-wings in flocks of hundreds, but with the climate drying the condition of the food plants has deteriorated, and parrot numbers have dropped. Yesterday five of us made the trip to the lake on a chilly winter morning, Gouldiae has recorded the day very nicely here, so I don’t need to go into much detail.
At our first traverse I checked out the glasswort next to the dry lake bed, while the others combed the adjacent strip where there are stands of tussocks, favourite sheltering habitat for the parrots in cold or windy weather. It wasn’t long before a shout had me looking, and flocks of Blue-wings were in the air, flying in their characteristic wader-like manner*, probably over one hundred birds. I was a bit too far away for a decent photo, but got a couple that give the general picture. After lunch our second walk got another fifty plus, and we returned to the vehicles just as cold drizzly rain was starting to fall, a good day with the best Blue-wing numbers for quite some time. Maybe we’ll get an OBP next year!
* Graham Pizzey’s insightful simile.
Pictures.
Beaded Glasswort beside the “permanent water”,
the dune barrier in the background.
Blue-winged Parrots in flight over tussocks.
Click to enlarge.
Sounds like a good day out even without OBP.
As for Terek Sandpiper, Osprey, and White-winged Black Tern, I’ve only seen the Ospreys and they were in Scotland.
Very pleasing to see so many Blue-wings Alan. We finished up cold and damp, but happy!
Hi Duncan
Never had the chance to see these birds, or the OBPs.
Amazing shot of the flock of them flying. Clear enough to be distinctive. Fancy so many in a group. I thought they were “rare”.
I once flushed a parrot from prostrate wattles along the NSW South Coast – just saw it fly and then drop. End of story. No idea, but Orange-bellied Parrot, seemed a possibility. Or Ground Parrot, but it looks a bit different to normal small Parrots.
One of life’s mysteries.
Your post reflects a very satisfying day.
Congratulations
Denis
Those mysteries crop up occasionally Denis, one flew across the road on the way to the lake, and I’m still wondering. Bassian Thrush was my best guess based on size and colour, but not where I’d expect to see one.
It’s funny what we value! I would love to see a
Blue-winged Parrot – but the Terek Sandpiper, Osprey, and White-winged Black Tern are fairly common up here so not nearly so exciting as BOP’s. Maybe we should magically swap environments for a day!
That would be good Mick, I’d love to see a bit of your patch.
I too would love to see a Blue-winged parrot! I used to visit your area regulary from the ACT when my folks were ageing in Maffra. I wish I knew of your site then – especially the birding area as East Gippsland was not my natural haunting ground. Unfortunately now I no longer have the reason to venture down your way. I am forever in persuit of the great bird photo and I think your bird albums are truely great – and so close to the subject. What camera and lens do you use and do you really sit for hours waiting for that perfect moment? I have a 12x Panasonic digital but it is never enough.
Lindell
Hi Lindell, I use a Panasonic camera too, an FZ30, with a Canon 1.5x teleconverter lens attached for distant birds. No I don’t sit for hours, I just stalk and shoot, or grab whatever opportunity pops up.
To see a big flock of Blue-wings wheeling overhead is a great experience, I never tire of seeing them. Cheers!