Herdsman Lake is only a few minute’s drive from the centre of Perth and provides home to many water birds and small birds. It consists of dredged ponds that were once part of a chain of wetlands that extended from north of Joondalup to south of Cockburn. There are dense wetland rushes dominated by Bulrush, fragments of remnant paperbarks and Flooded Gum woodlands, and grass parklands.
The Wildlife Centre at the southern end of the lake is managed by the WA Gould League and runs bird walks, information nights, night stalks and wildlife excursions. The Olive Seymour boardwalk there provides for excellent bird viewing.
Sightings from a short visit to the park included Australasian and Great Crested Grebes, Australian Shelducks, Grey Teal, Cormorants, Pelicans, Laughing Turtle-Doves, Australian White and Straw-necked Ibis, Black Swans, Western Gerygone and New Holland Honeyeaters. Another sighting on the boardwalk: a curled up Tiger Snake! And lots of entertainment from the Great Crested Grebes and their families, pictured below.
