A count of Lake Wendouree’s birds earlier this month shows that numbers are about average for this time of the year.
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The swan count was 162, with this total including many cygnets of varying ages. Some that were hatched in mid-winter are almost full-size, while recent ones are small and fluffy.
Great crested grebes are in pleasing numbers – more than they have been for several years – at 20 birds. There are several active nests under observation, so it is hoped that a successful breeding season ensues, after very few being hatched in recent years.
The numbers of coots at Lake Wendouree seemed to reduce with the heavy rain a few weeks ago.
The early December count confirmed this, with just 667 being counted. This is only about half of the total counted some years.
Musk ducks remain about average, at 25 birds, including a few ducklings.
Wood duck numbers are fairly high, at 91, while the total of 117 black ducks is a little lower than average. A few other interesting totals from the count a couple of weeks ago are 220 white ibises, 236 silver gulls, 43 reed warblers and 166 welcome swallows.
Two freckled ducks were seen during the count, as well as two great egrets.
The total number of species was 43.
Several species of ducks, grebes and others are using the uncut lakeweed for resting, feeding and sheltering.
Since the early December count, a greenshank has been seen on the islands in the centre of Lake Wendouree. This is a rare lake visitor, coming to us from central northern Asia.
MARSH FROGS
Fortunately, most frog species can be identified by their calls.
While this is not always easy, calls can be checked against recorded calls online for confirmation.
A recent single clicking note heard near Wendouree was that of a spotted marsh-frog. On the same day, at Sebastopol, a single note of a clucking quality was heard – that of the striped marsh-frog. These calls are not easy to remember.
The frogs themselves are not always readily identified either. Despite its name, the striped marsh-frog has some spots, while the spotted marsh-frog can have short broad stripes, as well as a reddish stripe down the centre of its back.
The common names are thus not helpful in identifying these two frogs.
The markings of the spotted marsh-frog tend to be olive in colour, while those of the striped marsh-frog are blackish. The spotted species is smaller, at about 45mm, while the striped marsh-frog can reach 60-65mm.
