The lake is locally interesting for other waterbirds such as pied cormorant, Caspian tern, white-bellied sea-eagle and great crested grebe.

Red-rumped parrots can be found on the shoreline, which does not regularly occur closer to Ballarat. These parrots, and white-plumed honeyeaters, have a close association with the lake's red gums.

In autumn — when water-levels recede and many other wetlands are dry — the lake is visited by wading birds, large and small.

Solitary egrets, herons and spoonbills occur around the shallow edges, along with varying numbers of small international migrants, such as red-necked stints, double-banded plovers and sharp-tailed sandpipers.

As levels drop further and more mud and shallow water is available for them, birds such as banded and black-winged stilts, red-necked avocets, greenshanks and marsh sandpipers might visit. The stilts and avocets occurred in memorable flocks of hundreds as the lake receded several years ago.

All 11 local duck species occur. Their numbers vary from year to year.

Grey teal are usually present, while large numbers of Australian shelducks occur in most summers. Australasian shoveler, pink-eared duck and chestnut teal are found less frequently, and small numbers of freckled and blue-billed ducks are sometimes seen.

Also utilising the receding water is the brolga. The open country west of Lake Burrumbeet is habitat for several pairs of brolgas, and some of these visit the lake when levels begin to drop.

A few species of raptors can be seen. There are 16 species listed. Brown falcon, black-shouldered kite and whistling kite are often seen.

The white-bellied sea-eagle is infrequent, but single birds are sighted a few times each year. Old red gums with holes suitable for nesting are used by numerous birds, including parrots, pardalotes, kookaburras, tree martins, ducks and cockatoos.

The birdlist contains more than 160 species, including robins, finches, honeyeaters, wrens, whistlers and cuckoos. The locally uncommon striated fieldwren is a resident in small numbers.

Just as spring brings many songbirds, so autumn has its welcome sounds.

One is the Victorian smooth froglet, a seldom-seen frog that makes a friendly "creeek-bip,bip,bip,bip" call from bush litter on the forest floor in autumn. This welcome sound has been heard at Wombat Forest and Nintingbool since last weekend's rain.