About Us
“Friends of Bird (FOB)” is a forum of avid bird lovers who are interested in birdwatching, bird conservation or any kind of bird related activities. FOB is a non-profit and informal forum, whose main objective is to provide a common forum for bird lovers and enthusiasts through which members can discuss and share their knowledge and experiences about birdwatching and bird related activities through e-media. FOB has its own email address fob@friendsobird.net.np to communicate, discussion forum friendsofbird@yahoogroups.com and website http://friendsofbird.net.np.
FOB was created by a group of people who has been doing birdwatching in Kathmandu Valley from several years. It was born on May 21, 2005 while doing birdwatching at Mrigasthali, Pashupati area. A group of birdwatchers - Arend, Bhushan Raj Shrestha, Deepak Shrestha, Lalit Lal Chand, Rajendra Gurung, Sarbendra Pachhai, Tej Basnet and Vimal Thapa were the key persons initiated to create this forum. Members of this group are most regular birdwatchers in Kathmandu Valley.
Human threat in birds and nature is increasing tremendously; large numbers of habitats of birds are already in threat. Human feelings of love towards birds and nature are very important to save the birds and the nature. Birdwatching activity not only let birders enjoy with birds and the nature, it also creates their feeling of love and closeness towards birds and nature. Regular birdwatching activity also helps to monitor the status of birds and the nature in the birding area. Regular birdwatching in a particular area also help to aware people about the importance of birds and nature to the local people in that area, which encourage them in conservation of their area. Therefore, birdwatching activities have to be highly encouraged.
There are several organizations and individual activists working in Nepal for bird, birdwatching, and bird conservation related activities. None of the organizations except BCN organizes regular birdwatching activity in Nepal. BCN generally organizes birdwatching activity every alternative Saturday of the month from October to June in different sites of Kathmandu. People initiated to form this group felt the need of more regular birdwatching and also felt the gap of a platform to organize birdwatching, to share the information regarding birds, birdwatching and bird related activities.
There are already about two dozens of FOB members, who have regular participation in FOB’s activities such as - birdwatching activities, participating in group discussion, providing content for FOB’s website, etc. Anyone interested in birdwatching, bird conservation or any kind of bird and environment related activities are eligible for membership of this forum. If you are interested to join this forum please send a request for membership with your brief information (Name, E-mail, Contact address, Telephone number and Profession) to FOB through fob@friendsofbird.net.np. Every member of FOB will also become a member of discussion forum friendsofbird@yahoogroups.com. FOB member can participate in FOB’s regular birdwatching, participate in discussion forum and post news, views and information about birds and birdwatching activity through FOB’s website http://friendsofbird.net.np. FOB has a core volunteer team to manage all FOB’s activities. FOB’s core team has full authority to accept and reject material to publish in discussion forum and the website. Core team also has full right to edit the material prior to posting in the website if needed. FOB has copyright for all contents of the website.
FOB’s discussion forum is a common platform to discuss about birds, birdwatching, and environment related issues. You must have to be a member of FOB to participate in this forum, see “how you can be a member” for FOB’s membership. Besides discussion, you can also get information about birdwatching schedule; and events related to birds, birding and environment. If you are interested to do birdwatching in some specific area and looking for birding partners, you can propose through this forum and find friends for birding. If FOB core team find it interesting they may put your proposal in the FOB’s schedule and announce through forum. Proposal accepted by FOB’s core team will also be posted through FOB’s website in it’s event calendar. It is being very popular through this forum.
Member can post his/her views, questions, suggestions, answer to other’s question, regarding birds, birdwatching and nature through FOB’s discussion forum. Members can also share their experiences about birds, birdwatching or any bird related issues through FOB’s website.
FOB always respect all organizations and individuals involving in bird conservation activities, therefore FOB always try to avoid any activity that conflict to similar activities of others, instead FOB gives priority to participate their activities. Therefore, FOB will not have separate Saturday birdwatching schedule when BCN has, instead FOB encourage people to participate BCN’s schedule. It is important to note that most of the FOB’s members are also the members of BCN.
FOB request all its members to list down the birds they identified in the area they visited and brief information about the surrounding environment of that area and post to the group. This will help FOB members to share knowledge about birds in the area and FOB to keep update its database regarding birds and birding sites. This will also help to explore new birding sites in Kathmandu Valley which is FOB’s main target area.
Lalit Lalchan
Vimal Thapa
Sarbendra Pachhai
Bhushan R. Shrestha
Deepak Shrestha
Rajendra Gurung
Arend
Tej Basnet
Krishna
Phurkel
Gopi Shrestha
Bal Gopal Shrestha
Anuroop Shrestha (Children Representative)
