SBBOT has a long tradition of offering courses, lectures and talks. Apart from the presentations below we also present evening programmes via zoom, such as our Wednesday Courses.
Live Presentations Autumn 2023
Live From Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory 7.30pm
£4 per person including a hot drink and a biscuit
7th December SOUTH FROM NEW ZEALAND Ian & Sally Hunter

A voyage south to see the birds of some of New Zealand’s remote islands.
They will take place in the lecture hall at the SBBOT field-centre on Thursday evenings, starting at 7.30pm, happening every fortnight from late September. The usual mix of local and visiting speakers will talk on a variety of topics from home and abroad.
Great speakers, the chance to meet with fellow nature lovers
Fortnightly - Sept-Dec at 7.30 in the Observatory
Entrance £4 on the night to include tea/coffee and a biscuit!
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Thursday Evening Winter Lecture Programme
Live at the Field Centre at 7.30pm
£5 per person including a hot drink and a biscuit
18th January RSPB RESERVES AROUND THE UK with Brian Nobbs
Brian takes us around the country visiting some great locations, looking at birds and explaining reserve management. Brian is from Sevenoaks RSPB Group and is a great fund-raiser for the RSPB.
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1st February WILDFLOWERS OF KENT with Sue Buckingham
A new talk looking at some of the very varied habitats around Kent and the wildflowers to be found in them. Some will be familiar plants and others much less well known.
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15th February OPERATION TURTLE DOVE IN KENT with Nicole Khan
The talk is about saving an iconic species on the brink of extinction in the UK. Nicole is RSPB Turtle Dove Conservation Adviser in Kent, which is a stronghold in its distribution. She talks about the ecology of this beautiful summer visitor and discusses its threats and the efforts being made to protect it against all the odds.
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29th February BIRDING ACROSS THE CHANNEL with Simon Ginnaw
Simon has had a lot of experience finding birds in France, which is so close and only an hour from Dover. He visits a variety of habitats and reserves using his quality images and sound recordings. There are many exciting species to look at, some of them rarely seen on our side of the Channel.
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14th March THE WILD SEA IS MY HOME with Andre Farrar
A look at Seabirds from around the British coasts and far off locations around the world. Andre is well-travelled and is Chairman of the Kent Ornithological Society.
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Special Event!
28th March THE MAGNIFICENT WESTERN CAPE with John Buckingham
Tickets £12 per head (10% discount for SBBOT Members)
This is a ‘SPECIAL EVENT’ in aid of our ‘FUND THE FIELDS APPEAL’ and a ‘Celebration of Fifty Years of Bird and Wildlife Photography’. John has visited The Cape many times and takes us on a virtual tour of this beautiful part of South Africa, with its stunning scenery, wonderful birdlife, world-renowned flora and other wildlife, with all new images from a recent visit.
For those who don't know John was a tour leader and photographer for many years leading groups of birders and wildlife enthusiasts all over the world. He is also a much in demand speaker and, of course, runs SBBOTs bird ID courses.