Golf Course lookout 
Masked Lapwing Starlings 
Welcome Swallows Native Hen 
Noisy Miners Silver Gulls 
Our next stop was on Shark Point Road at the northern 
end of Orielton Lagoon. At the stile and Pittwater Nature 
Reserve sign a walking track leads to the saltmarsh. 
Right at this entry point there is a small population of 
the rare and threatened Colocepholus citreus, or Lemon 
Beauty Heads, a small herb which is now in prolific 
flower. We did not walk further, but Els said this is a 
good place to see Chats, Pipits, Skylarks, Pacific Golden 
Plovers and Red-capped Plovers. 
Calocephalus citreus. Photo: Beth Heap 
Our final stop on Orielton was at Cemetery Point in 
Sorell township. A grassy track leads to the lagoon 
shore, and access to the actual beach is prohibited as 
this is a bird breeding site. The grassed area is degraded 
and judging by the litter, is well-used. 
Warnings to watch our steps were provided, by Els who 
has seen discarded syringes, and Mick Brown who saw a 
large tiger snake here a few days earlier. 
We viewed a pair of Great Crested Grebes fishing in the 
middle of the lagoon, a pair of Pacific Golden Plovers on 
the shore, and a resting Caspian Tern. On Susie Islet our 
binoculars and telescopes showed pelicans, Great 
Cormorants and the inevitable Silver and Kelp Gulls. The 
highlight was observing a group of nine Pacific Golden 
Plovers on the shore and in the samphire. 
Cemetery Point 
2 Little Pied Cormorant 
3 Silver Gull 
5 Masked Lapwing 
1 Native Hen 
Hoary-headed Grebe 
9 Pacific Golden Plover 
Great-crested Grebe 
1 Caspian Tern 
2 Red-necked Stint 
Musk Duck 
Suzie Islet (not counted) 
Pelican 
Silver Gull 
Kelp Gull 
Great Cormorant 
Little Black Cormorant 
We ate lunch in the gazebo at the park opposite the 
Police Station in Sorell. A praying mantis was also 
occupying the gazebo, and afforded some distraction for 
Kevin, Beth and Amanda who took photographs of it. 
Purple-winged Mantis (Tenodera australasiae) 
Photo: Beth Heap 
Our final stop was at Lauderdale canal. We crossed the 
busy road to the beach fronting the mudflats. Sadly this 
beach is littered with rubbish- broken bottles, decaying 
plastic bags, old shoes and food wrappers. 
The tide was well out so once again birds were distant, 
but the following were observed: 
Lauderdale 
10+ Red-necked Stint 
Pied Oystercatcher 
Masked Lapwing 
Silver Gull 
2 Chestnut Teal 
2 White-faced Heron 
Yellow Wattlebird 
Greenfinch (juvenile) 
Great crested grebe fishing on Orielton Lagoon. 
Photo: Mick Brown 
Bird lists in this article were supplied by Els Wakefield. 
Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club 
Page 4 
BULLETIN 354 April 2014 
