SBBOT started life as a bird observatory whose only role was to monitor the birds that live in or pass through our recording area. While it is true that we do so much more, now it remains a core activity as evidenced by the constant ringing of birds and monitoring their movements and how our local birds fare, whether they be residents or seasonal visitors.
A member of the National Bird Observatories Council, Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory is part of a nationwide network of observatories providing crucial daily census information – a valuable tool in the long-term monitoring of bird population and migratory trends, both of which aspects can be indicators of on-going climate change. An integral part of our work is bird-ringing which is undertaken within the national scheme and licensed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
This is a function that we share with partners across the nation and even beyond.
That side of our work is monitored and co-ordinated by the BTO whose main reason for existence is to collate records across the UK. Like the Rio dictum of 'think global, act local', we are very much part of a national effort to conserve birds and other wildlife and the habitat they need. By working together we can have a real impact on environmental policies. These insights, in turn, inform key national conservation plans and provide a sound basis for authoritative bodies, including Government, to take future actions to protect natural habitats.
Through this work, we advise on wildlife-related issues to authorities and organisations within the local community and contribute to databanks of national importance via our census data recorded on our own site. We also aim to encourage our members and volunteers to participate in scientific studies of birds and the natural environment. The results of such studies are made freely available to researchers, and to the general public, who are always welcome to visit us.
Our vision is to maintain a centre of excellence for the study of flora and fauna and habitat management that fosters a sustainable future. We aim to achieve this by engaging diverse participation in what we provide and by connecting still more young people and adults to nature, and so build support for our environmental mission.
Throughout this website you can find a great deal more about our activities and the work we do in this area and beyond. Below are other observatories that share much in common with SBBOT working across the nations.
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| Alderney | Bardsey | Calf of Man | Cape Clear |
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| Copeland | Dungeness | Fair Isle | Filey |
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| Flamborough | Gibraltar Point | Hilbre | Holme |
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| Isle of May | Landguard | North Ronaldsay | Portland |
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| SBBOT | Skokholm | Spurn | Walney |