Toowoomba Bird Observers Inc. (Est. 1975)
Welcome to our website!
A website to promote birdwatching and to let you know about the club, its purpose, and the birds of the Toowoomba region.
A quick look at our bird list and you'll see we're spoilt for choice with some 290 species officially recorded in our survey area covering the Toowoomba/Helidon region.
The club's charter has always been to "encourage the observation and study of the birds of the Toowoomba area." Our focus has remained squarely on educating and keeping birders up to date on the local scene.
The bottom line is we're here to help anyone interested in knowing more about the local birdlife, whether you're a local or a visitor, beginner or expert, casual observer or highly strung twitcher.
Issue-370 Jan 2008
PDF Size = 904Kb
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, so like our members, you're always up to date with the local birding scene. Great articles, information and photographs. It's tremendous value, which gives you access to back-issues too!
Here's a recent newsletter with our compliments.
Peruse extracts from previous newsletters to learn more about the local Toowoomba birdlife, club activities and what our members get up to in their spare time!
Our members are encouraged to record and submit their sightings on monthly checklists for our records.
We have been collecting monthly data since the club's inception in 1975.
We are in the process of preparing a publication based on the data.
The club's list of around 290 species is extraordinary given our inland location and the lack of a major water body.
When Are The Outings?
Club outings usually take place on the last weekend of the month. Destinations vary - some outings are close to home; others are to more distant locations in the surrounding area. We are happy to pass on our local knowledge to visiting birders. Visitors are welcome to join our club.
Why birdwatch?
That's an easy one. There's something about birds, isn't there? It's hard to ignore them so why not get to know them better? David Attenborough sums it up nicely in his book, "The Life of Birds":
"They are lively, they're lovely, and they're everywhere."
They have characters with which we can easily identify, cheeky and shy, gentle and vicious, faithful and faithless and they are an ever present link with the natural world that lies beyond our brick walls and apart from being a healthy, outdoors activity, it's a thoroughly interesting, insightful and rewarding pastime.
Challenging?
It's up to you. You can simply enjoy one of life's simple pleasures at your own pace in your own private patch, or get out there and go for broke. See how many species you can find. Become a twitcher. How many species on the Australian list can you see in a year? The record's 703!
Therapeutic?
Definitely! Think of it as meditation with ears peeled and eyes wide open. It's economical too and can be done anytime, anywhere. Apart from a decent pair of binoculars and a field guide or two, the only other expenses are your travel costs.
Once hooked, birdwatching will provide a lifetime of enjoyment. It is also has advantages being mainly a morning pastime. You can indulge without disrupting the whole day! You'll quickly realise that it's very much an awareness thing. Birds are everywhere and once you're "tuned in" you'll be surprised just how many species are around and how fascinating they can be.
You'll start visiting places you ordinarily would not go to. Places you didn't even know existed. Boring drives suddenly become interesting and the changing scenery takes on a 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 around you.
Why the club?
We exist simply because we enjoy a common passion - birds - and 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 the 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 and watching them blossom into competent birders. So, needless to say, we love beginners!
Meetings and Membership
Monthly executive meetings are held in the Alford Room at the Toowoomba City Hall at 7:30pm on the first Wednesday of each month. Members and visitors are welcome.
While membership to view our site is not essential, we encourage you to join to enjoy the benefits of full access to our site, including our monthly newsletters, for only AU$22 for adult/family or AU$11 for students, permanent.