The men dedicating their afternoons to Lake Apex's bird life

"Birds are struggling nowadays because it's very dry and hot... There is no water in the lake so how can they feed?”

BIRD LIFE: Gautam Patel and Rajendra Patel say their love of birds inspires them to make sure their feathered friends at Lake Apex are fed and hydrated. Picture: Ebony Graveur

"THERE is no water in the lake, so how can they feed?”

That's the question that had one group of bird lovers thinking.

Six months ago, Rajendra Patel, Gautam Patel and their friends set out to make sure winged wildlife at Lake Apex, Gatton, was able to exist despite the drought.

"Birds are struggling nowadays because it's very hot and dry,” Rajendra said.

"How can they search for water?”

The friends began feeding sorghum and offering water to the little corellas and other birds at Lake Apex six months ago.

Two weeks ago, they set up tubs of water around where the birds feed and make sure to re-fill the tubs with clean and fresh water every couple of days.

"We went to Kmart in Toowoomba and bought three water tubs,” he said.

Since setting up water stations, Rajendra has seen more birds flocking to the area.

Rajendra estimated he and his friends were interacting with upwards of 500 birds and said the animals were often gathered, waiting at 4pm.

Among the group, someone would always make the trip to the lake so ensure the birds had water and food.

"If I'm out of Gatton and too far away, I organise someone to fill in,” Rajendra said.

Their love of birds unites the friends in their mission.

Gautam said his mother's love of birds rubbed off on him.

"My mother inspired me and always gives birds food every morning,” he said.

Rajendra said he wanted to do the right thing by nature.

"When we finish our lives, we can't bring anything with us,” he said.

"We can bring with us our good deeds.”

Friends of Lake Apex secretary Annette Fifoot said what the friends were doing was "just magic”.

"To think newcomers are caring for wildlife so greatly is just a lovely story,” Ms Fifoot said.

"I think more people are becoming aware of what they can do in this terrible drought.”

She said while sorghum was safe to feed to birds, feeding bread to them would be unsafe.

"(It) can make feathers grow too quickly - there are all sorts of negative things about bread,” she said.

"Sorghum is quite normal and, if a farmer is growing it, they always have the problem of birds eating it.”