Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory

Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory SBBOT is an independent charity that monitors & protects the wildlife at Sandwich Bay. Event details available on our website.

The Field Centre is open from 10am-4pm (depending on availability of volunteers) with a shop and comfortable accommodation. We have a programme of weekly events for members and non-members. Please see our website http://www.sbbot.org.uk for details. Please note that there is a charge of £1 at the tollgate for non-members.

04/06/2026

🦋🌙Come and discover these icons of the night at our renowned Moth Nights, which are back for 2026 🫡

From tiny gems to spectacular species with patterns colours that rival any butterfly, our trap reveals are a surprising and you never know what might appear 💖

🗓️Saturdays June 13, July 11, August 8, September October 10
⏰6.30pm, except October 10th which will be at 4.3
⏰Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory

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🗣️⭐SPECIAL THURSDAY TALK THIS WEEK⭐🗣️ How did the Great White Egret go from its first UK breeding record on the Avalon M...
02/06/2026

🗣️⭐SPECIAL THURSDAY TALK THIS WEEK⭐🗣️

How did the Great White Egret go from its first UK breeding record on the Avalon Marshes in Somerset in 2012 to establishing colonies across the country?

Join Dr Alison Morgan of the RSPB as she shares her insights from a special colour-ringing programme launched on the Avalon Marshes in 2016. The project has helped track the species' remarkable expansion, with Somerset-born juveniles being resighted across the UK and increasingly establishing new breeding colonies far from their home region.

In this fully illustrated talk, Alison will reveal what these sightings are teaching us about one of the UK's fastest-growing bird populations. 🐦✨

📆Thursday 4th June
🕖7:30pm (Doors open 7:00pm)
🚩Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Field Centre. CT13 9PF
🎟️Tickets: £6 (pay on the door) Hot drink and biscuits AND Balinese sweet treats included!
➡️sbbot.org.uk/thursday-talks/

💚 Water Vole appreciation post 💚With its endearing little face and chubby cheeks, the Water Vole is sadly the UK’s faste...
20/05/2026

💚 Water Vole appreciation post 💚

With its endearing little face and chubby cheeks, the Water Vole is sadly the UK’s fastest declining mammal, with populations shrinking by around 90% in the last 30 years.

Beloved by many as ‘Ratty’ in ‘The Wind in the Willows’, these shy little mammals are far more than just charming faces. Often nicknamed “mini beavers”, Water Voles are important ecosystem engineers, shaping wetlands through their grazing and burrowing and helping create rich habitats for countless other species.

A recent sighting of a Water Vole within Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory's recording area is a wonderful reminder of how important protected wetlands are for species like this, with healthy Water Vole populations being a real sign of a thriving habitat.

They take shy to another level and can be incredibly difficult to spot, but if you’re patient you might notice👇

💧 A distinctive “plop” as they dive into the water
💧 Neat piles of chewed vegetation beside the bank
💧 Tiny pathways through reeds and grasses
💧 A rounded brown face peeking out from the water’s edge

Sadly, habitat loss and invasive American mink have caused Water Voles to vanish from huge parts of the country, making every sighting feel even more special💚

📷 Oscar Chambers-Smith

🌿Do you know a young person looking to get into birding?Join Education Rangers from Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory and th...
19/05/2026

🌿Do you know a young person looking to get into birding?

Join Education Rangers from Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory and the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership for a relaxed guided nature walk from Sandwich Quay to Sandwich Bay and back this May Half-Term.

🦅 Spot amazing birds & coastal wildlife
🌸 See spring nature at its best
📸 Pick up bird ID skills & learn about conservation
🤝 Meet like-minded people and spend time outdoors

May is one of the BEST times for a nature trip!

We’re especially keen to welcome young people aged 12+ who are into wildlife already or just want to try something new 🌞

🎟 FREE event - booking required
🔗 buytickets.at/sandwichbaybirdobservatory

It’s certainly been a brilliant week for gull species, with at least different species spotted today at Restharrow Scrap...
14/05/2026

It’s certainly been a brilliant week for gull species, with at least different species spotted today at Restharrow Scrape 👀✨

Among our more commonly seen species, have been Caspian, Yellow-Legged and Little Gull, alongside Kittiwakes 🐦✨

The Little Gull, as captured by our Assistant Warden Jonny Bull, may be tiny, but it’s full of character. As the world’s smallest gull species, it measures just 24–28 cm long and weighs about the same as a modern smartphone 📱

A migratory visitor to the UK, this dainty bird flies very differently from larger gulls — with a light, fluttering style more like a tern. It can even hover in mid-air while hunting insects such as dragonflies and beetles.

Young birds, like the one pictured, show a distinctive dark “W” pattern across their wings, making them especially striking to spot in flight. In the UK, the Little Gull is also a highly protected Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Today, Sir David Attenborough turns 100.For nearly a century, he hasn’t just shown us the natural world — he’s helped us...
08/05/2026

Today, Sir David Attenborough turns 100.

For nearly a century, he hasn’t just shown us the natural world — he’s helped us understand our place within it. From the deepest oceans to the oldest forests, his voice has carried wonder, truth, and an urgent reminder: we are not separate from nature, we depend on it.

When David Attenborough speaks about climate change, biodiversity loss, and protecting our planet, we should listen — because his message is grounded in a lifetime of observation, evidence, and care for future generations.

He’s witnessed more change on Earth than almost anyone alive. And despite everything he’s seen, he still believes we can make a difference.

That hope matters.

Happy 100th birthday to a global voice for the planet. 🌍💚

Meet a super-rare Bay find 👀✨A split-s*x Shuttle-shaped Dart moth - literally half male, half female.Shuttle-shaped Dart...
30/04/2026

Meet a super-rare Bay find 👀✨

A split-s*x Shuttle-shaped Dart moth - literally half male, half female.

Shuttle-shaped Darts are a s*xually dimorphic species (i.e. males and females have different appearances) so you can clearly tell them apart and you can see on the left side of this individual you can see male traits (brown patterned forewings + white hindwings + feathery antenna) while on the right side: female traits (plainer dark brown forewings + buff hindwings)

Yes… one body, two s*xes!

This incredible condition is called bilateral gynandromorphism - a super rare genetic phenomenon where an organism develops as perfectly split male/female down the middle. It happens in many insects, crustaceans and other animals due to an early cell division error, and while some species show mixed traits, a clean 50/50 split like this is extremely unusual.

Also worth noting: this isn’t the same as hermaphroditism. That’s when an organism has both reproductive organs but looks like one s*x externally - this is a full visual divide.

Wild. Beautiful. And unbelievably rare. 🦋

📷 Jonny Bull

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Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust, Guilford Road, Sandwich Bay
Sandwich
CT139PF

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