Volunteer Intern
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust
Residential Volunteering posts are an important stepping stone to a career in conservation by gaining real, hands on experience of surveying techniques and practical conservation. Such a role can turn a normal CV into a stand-out candidate. Here at Sandwich Bay, we offer this experience at one of the country’s leading Bird Observatories. The SBBOT Recording Area has a very varied habitat with seashore, mudflats, dunes, salt and freshwater marshes, riverine edge, woodland, farmland and urban edge. Our area encompasses our own reserves, an RSPB reserve, a National Nature Reserve and a Country Park.
Applicants must have good bird identification skills (sight & sound and flight) as their main focus will be the daily monitoring and counts of migrating birds. As a maritime site on a major migration route close to the continent anything can (and does) turn up. For example, the Recording Area has recent records of Eleonora’s Falcon and Yellow-browed Bunting, as well as various shearwaters, storks, orioles, and shrikes. Moreover, it is an important area for breeding and overwintering birds.
The posts will give you experience of bird ringing, habitat management, environmental education, visitor support and facilities management as well as the opportunity to see conservation in action with dragonflies & damselflies, butterflies & moths, reptile, mammal and amphibians all in our focus (our car park alone has recorded 1,000+ moth species!). You will meet staff, c.100 project volunteers and the many day and residential visitors to the Observatory.
Successful applicants will support the Warden monitoring bird movements every morning, contributing to our logs, website and social media. You will also contribute to events, work alongside our conservation volunteers, engage visitors, and help with general tasks around the Observatory. It's serious work but great fun!
Free accommodation is provided and there will be a weekly allowance, not exceeding £65 for food, which must be claimed with receipts. Necessary local travel will be reimbursed.
For more information please refer to the Role Description and Person Specification on our website. All applicants must be over 18 at the start of the engagement. The successful candidate would preferably begin in September 2025 and finish in June 2026, but start and finish dates are flexible and can be of a shorter duration. If successful, candidates should be available for interview either in person or online at some
point during the week of Monday 11th to Friday 15th August.
About Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust
As an accredited bird observatory and registered charity SBBOT is committed to the conservation and recording of the natural environment in the Sandwich Bay area, and in so doing offers opportunities for education, training and research.
The SBBOT owns and rents several areas around the Sandwich Bay estate, which our voluntary conservation team manage under the direction of the conservation committee for the benefit of the flora and fauna of the area.
As an accredited bird observatory and registered charity SBBOT is committed to the conservation and recording of the natural environment in the Sandwich Bay area, and in so doing offers opportunities for education, training and research. The SBBOT owns and rents several areas around the Sandwich Bay estate, which our voluntary conservation team manage under the direction of the conservation committee for the benefit of the flora and fauna of the area.
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