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Thompson Lake |
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Thompson Lake |
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This lake is a 2.5 km walk round trip. There is only a firm walking track on the East side the rest is soft sand. As this Lake can support 10,000 water birds it is a wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, Forestdale Lake is also on this list of important wetlands. This area is fenced but you are welcome to visit. The fencing is an effort to keep out foxes and feral cats, but be careful to use the gates provided as it is an electric fence. I have visited this lake at night and a couple of times in the day. I wont be talking about all the water birds as I wasn't able to see them very well. Iit was either dark or to early in summer or to late. I will show you some of the other treasures that are here at Thomson Lake. There are many kangaroos here and we also saw this brush tail possum on a night walk. >>>>>>>
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Motorbike frogs, slender tree frogs and banjo
frogs have all been heard here making a great symphony in
November (the sound
you are hearing now is a chorus of motorbike frogs at Thompson lake).
This Motorbike frog did not want to go! |
A Grumpy Moaning frog excreting white fluid as we saved it from being run over off Hammond Rd. |
Local people say that the noise made by the moaning frogs in their breeding season keeps them awake at night and they find frogs in their shoes. |
I have also found a turtle with a broken neck on the inside of
the parameter fence, a race horse goanna stuck
in the fence on my last trip this
February. I have also seen a lot of tracks from lizards, rabbits, foxes,
bandicoots, birds
and insects.
Some of the huge spiders are the orb weaver spiders and they are here at this lake in large numbers.
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Aren't they gorgeous! There webs are strong and moderately large. ( I've seen bigger up in Murchison). There was the Goldern Orb weaver here too, but unfortunately I was out of film. They are all through the area and you need a torch at night, but don't let that put you off visiting. |
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Another common spider here through the whole area is the Christmas Spider They can cover a whole bush. And are also all through the reeds around the lake edge.<<<<< |
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I have also seen this little guy (a black hat shield bug) who pretends to be dead when you approach it, but if you turn your back on it you can be sure it will disappear at a lumbering waddle. |
There are also a lot of dragon flies, crickets and grass hoppers, and monarch butterflies are out at this time of year. The most Monarchs I have seen this year was at Gooralong Park in Jarradale.
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Sadly while I walked around Thompson Lake in February my car was broken into and camera gear, books etc was stolen. Unfortunately insurance doesn't cover this and personal sketches and my gear can not be replaced. I believe it was a random act and I wouldn't let it deter me from visiting here again.
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All Content, written
and graphical Copyright © Wildlife Education Services 2003. |
And it didn't ....recently I went back and saw this little Slender Brown Tree Frog...isn't he cute?
