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Redwood Park Open Day
Saturday 15th October 2011
You are invited to enjoy our free Family open day in the park!
Download Info Brochure
Welcome to this invaluable resource about the birds in the Toowoomba region.  Photo: Bill Jolly Our local bird list says it all - the reason for our love affair with this area - with nearly 300 species officially recorded. For an inland location, that is truly exceptional. For the converted, check out the Forum for all the latest and historical sightings, etc. Non-members are welcome to contribute. Registration is free. For those intrigued with our passion - some say obsession, or simply curious about the club, please read on. What is it about birds? David Attenborough sums it up nicely in the Foreward to his book, "The Life of Birds": "They are lively; they are lovely; and they are everywhere. They have characters with which we can easily identify - cheeky and shy, gentle and vicious, faithful - and faithless. Many enact the dramas of their lives in full view to see. They are part of our own world yet, at a clap of our hands, they lift into the air and vanish into their own with a facility that we can only envy. And they are an ever present link with the natural world that lies beyond our brick walls. It is hardly surprising that human beings have studied birds with a greater dedication and intensity than they have lavished on any other group of animal."
Is birding challenging? It's up to you. You can simply enjoy one of life's simple pleasures, at your own pace, in your own space, or get out there and go for broke. You can concentrate on an area, study particular species, combine birding with photography, or art. You can become a twitcher (hard-core lister) nationally, or globally. Set yourself a target for a day, a month, a year, a lifetime. Therapeutic? Definitely! Think of it as meditation with ears peeled and eyes wide open, anytime, anywhere. Birding's very much an awareness thing; once "tuned in" you'll be surprised how many species are around and the fascination they bring. You'll start visiting places you ordinarily wouldn't. Places you didn't even know existed. Boring drives suddenly become interesting; the changing scenery takes on new meaning. The need to pull over every now and then to check out a bird or a habitat is birdwatching's in-built "driver reviver" scheme.
Holidays, day trips, picnics, etc, will become far more memorable with increased awareness of the birds. Like significant songs, they too become the hooks of your life. Keeping a diary of your sightings is a great memory prompt of times and places when you come to write those memoirs! Why the club? We exist simply because we enjoy a common passion - birds. Many of us are particularly interested in the birds found locally, so a focussed, local club suits our needs perfectly. We provide a means for local birdwatchers to share birding experiences through our outings and through our monthly newsletter. In doing this, we contribute to the knowledge of our Australian birds and that surely will always be a good thing! ID problems? We're here to help you and we enjoy doing it. It's not so hard. Many species are very easy to identify once you acquire some basic knowledge and possess the tools of the trade - binoculars and a field guide. If you have an ID problem, why not post a query on our Forum ? Absolute beginner? The club is here to serve everyone ! From beginners without a scrap of experience through to the most experienced birders, including those in the scientific community, but if you are a beginner you're in for an enlightening experience that's likely to change your lifestyle forever! It's true nothing gives birders more satisfaction than seeing new birds. The next best thing however is being able to help others do likewise, watching them blossom into competent birders. Needless to say, we love beginners! The Toowoomba Bird Observers are an affiliated group of the Bird Observers Club of Australia. |
