DUCKS AT LAKE LORNE

I had recently heard about a reliable place to see the rare and threatened freckled duck: Lake Lorne, in Drysdale. This morning I went out to the lake, about an hour from Melbourne.
As soon as we arrived at the lake I was greeted by a large group of birds. A single distant Latham's snipe was a lifer, joined by a flock of blue-billed ducks, hardheads, hoary-headed grebes, chestnut teals and lifer pink-eared ducks in the middle of the lake. On the lake shores were white-headed stilts and black-fronted dotterels. Already 2 lifers had been seen: now it was just a hunt for the freckled duck.

This hardhead was one of many out on the lake

This small group of birds holds hoary-headed grebes, a hardhead, a blue-billed duck and a pink-eared duck all swimming together.

The white-headed stilt is a distinctive bird, with its long bubblegum-pink legs

Many of these black-fronted dotterels were feeding on the lake shore

This straw-necked ibis perched majestically at the top of a tree

A group of pretty pink-eared ducks swam around the island in the middle of Lake Lorne

As we continued forward, a few more birds appeared: several silvergulls and Australian white ibis on the lake shore, welcome swallows flying everywhere and some common land birds in the shrubs surrounding the lake (noisy miner, red-rumped parrot, crested pigeon and superb fairy-wren). Then, as we came to the end of our walk, I saw 5 darker-coloured ducks with red bills under a branch. I was glad to finally see my first freckled ducks giving great views.

The freckled duck is one of Victoria's rarest and most threatened ducks

The trip was very productive and it seemed the reports about Lake Lorne being reliable for freckled duck were true.
On the trip back I also saw several wedge-tailed eagles and whistling kites.