SBBOT History
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust (SBBOT)
Worth Marshes
View from Observatory track
A Brief History
The Sandwich Bay coastline and all the marshes inland to the River Stour have been created by the northerly drift of sand and shingle, together with deposits of alluvium over many centuries.
This process is still taking place. It is interesting to reflect that almost all of the area of the Sandwich Bay Nature Reserve has been laid down since the 18th century. Great changes have taken place since the Sandwich Tern and the Kentish Plover regularly bred here and were first described by Dr John Latham, the eminent naturalist of the day from specimens taken at Sandwich Bay in 1784 and 1787 by William Boys, Sandwich historian and Fellow of the Linnaean Society.
The sandhills have attracted naturalists to study the rich flora and fauna of the area, a stretch of coastal dunes unique in the County of Kent and recognised as being of the highest scientific and amenity value.
The colony of Little Terns has been wardened in conjunction with the Kent Trust for Nature Conservation, but as with most colonies of this species in this country, they are declining for reasons badly understood.
Sandwich Bay was one of the first of the country's independent ringing stations and it began in 1952. Official Observatory status was achieved in 1962 when, with the kind co-operation of Mr A Daw and sons we were able to move into our present headquarters. The ringing and recording are still carried out within the rules of the Bird Observatories Council and the British Trust for Ornithology.
At about the same time Dungeness Bird Observatory was formed and together with SBBO important and regular contributions were made to the newly formed Kent Ornithology Society which opened a new era of bird recording within the county.
Charitable trust status was achieved in 1984 and two years later 22 acres of land, known as Restharrow Dunes Nature Reserve was purchased.
SBBOT supports the work of the National Trust, the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the management of the Sandwich Bay Nature Reserve and plays a major role in documenting the bird-life of the estuary.
The Observatory, in 1994, created a fresh-water wader scrape to attract migrant waders in spring and autumn. This is proving highly successful in attracting good numbers of common species and the occasional rarity. Two 24 ft hides are provided for our members.
In 1997 the Trust purchased it's headquarters and surrounding land which has enabled us to plan for the future Field Centre.
