How you can help us
Volunteers are the backbone of our work. By giving your time, skills and enthusiasm, you help us protect birds, support local habitats and strengthen the understanding of wildlife across Sussex.
Whether you’re an experienced birder or completely new to conservation, there’s a role for everyone.
Our volunteers take part in a wide range of activities, from carrying out bird surveys and submitting sightings to helping with habitat management, nest-box projects, outreach events and practical conservation days. Every hour contributed adds to the knowledge we gather, the habitats we safeguard and the communities we inspire.
Volunteering is also a rewarding way to learn more about birds, meet like-minded people, and make a meaningful difference in your local environment. By working together, we can achieve far more for nature than any of us could alone.
Join us, and become part of a community dedicated to ensuring that Sussex remains a thriving home for wildlife.
Current Vacancies
We often need species account writers. This work takes place once per year when we are compiling the latest bird report, and plenty of guidance is available. If you think you might be able to help, contact Assistant Editor Graham Hughes at grahamhughessos@gmail.com.
Help with the SOS Conference and AGM:
At our Conference and AGM on 18 April 2026 taking place at the University of Brighton’s Falmer campus, we will need help in a range of areas including:
- Providing help and directions to attendees inside the venue
- ‘Outside venue’ help with car parking, and directions to and from the train station and bus stops to the venue entrance
- Running the registration desk
- Filming on the day
- Running a raffle stall
- Taking bids for the silent auction
- Helping out on the SOS Volunteering stand
If you think you might be able to help in any of these areas please contact Conference Organiser David Porter at dfp47@btinternet.com.
Request for assistance with White Stork observations in Sussex – Lucian Delaney21st July 2026My name is Lucian and I am a Master’s by Research student at the University of East Anglia. I am contacting you to ask whether you, or members of the local birding community in Sussex, might be interested in helping with a research project on the movements and behaviour of white storks.
I am currently based at Knepp Estate, where I have been collecting data on white stork chicks during the nestling period. My research investigates how developmental plasticity during this early life stage influences later movement behaviour and migratory decision-making.
As the birds begin to fledge, my focus will shift to their pre-migratory movements across southern England and the Isle of Wight from August onwards. I am particularly interested in their behaviour during this period, including flock composition and social dynamics, habitat use, and other aspects of their behaviour in the field.
Because the birds will be moving across a large area, I am hoping to establish a network of local observers who may be able to assist with targeted observations. The birds are fitted with GPS trackers, allowing me to monitor their locations and provide alerts when they are approaching or within a particular area.
When a bird is nearby, I would ideally ask willing observers to collect, where possible:
– Short video footage of the birds and their behaviour;
– Photographs of the birds, particularly their ring numbers;
– The date, time and location of the observation;
– Approximate flock size and composition;
– Brief description of habitat and weather conditions;
– Any other notable behavioural observations
I will provide a simple observation form and platform to make recording this information straightforward. I appreciate that this would be entirely dependent on people’s availability and proximity to the birds, and I am not looking for a regular or substantial time commitment. Rather, I am hoping to identify people who may be willing to respond to occasional alerts when the birds are in their area.
I would be very grateful if you could let me know whether this is something you, your organisation, or members of the local birding community might be able to assist with. If you are not able to help directly, I would also greatly appreciate any suggestions of local birders, groups or other contacts who may be interested.
I would be very happy to provide further information about the project and discuss how the observation network might work.
Many thanks for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Lucian Delaney
University of East Anglia
07554 002811
Birders needed for Big Farmland Bird Count.17th February 2026If anyone has a few spare hours over the coming weeks and would like to help a Sussex farmer improve their knowledge of what’s on and around their farm then please let me know.Its a great opportunity to access land and build relationships with landowners, tenants and farmers. Moving forward these relationships can be very beneficial for both parties.Following the Arun 2 Adur farmers Big Farmland Bird count meeting recently we have had more interest than before and need some assistance.These aren’t ecological surveys and are fairly casual. Normally involving a tromp around with the farmer looking for birds and then documenting and sharing the results.The Big Farmland Bird Count is an annual event that encourages farmers and land managers to record the bird species and numbers on their farms. The count aims to raise awareness of the important role that they play in helping our farmland birds, and to measure the impact of the conservation work that many farms and estates carry outMore info hereIf you can help – albeit with short notice please drop me a lineCurrently we have a requirement for farms at;EarthamRackham (same farmer for both above)Sellers Park Farm – ArundelFarm next to Tolmare ( long furlong area – Worthing)and Coombes Farm – Steyning.Adam HuttlyEmail – Adam@red-inc.com or call/message me07766 732511
My name is Lucian and I am a Master’s by Research student at the University of East Anglia. I am contacting you to ask whether you, or members of the local birding community in Sussex, might be interested in helping with a research project on the movements and behaviour of white storks.
I am currently based at Knepp Estate, where I have been collecting data on white stork chicks during the nestling period. My research investigates how developmental plasticity during this early life stage influences later movement behaviour and migratory decision-making.
As the birds begin to fledge, my focus will shift to their pre-migratory movements across southern England and the Isle of Wight from August onwards. I am particularly interested in their behaviour during this period, including flock composition and social dynamics, habitat use, and other aspects of their behaviour in the field.
Because the birds will be moving across a large area, I am hoping to establish a network of local observers who may be able to assist with targeted observations. The birds are fitted with GPS trackers, allowing me to monitor their locations and provide alerts when they are approaching or within a particular area.
When a bird is nearby, I would ideally ask willing observers to collect, where possible:
– Short video footage of the birds and their behaviour;
– Photographs of the birds, particularly their ring numbers;
– The date, time and location of the observation;
– Approximate flock size and composition;
– Brief description of habitat and weather conditions;
– Any other notable behavioural observations
I will provide a simple observation form and platform to make recording this information straightforward. I appreciate that this would be entirely dependent on people’s availability and proximity to the birds, and I am not looking for a regular or substantial time commitment. Rather, I am hoping to identify people who may be willing to respond to occasional alerts when the birds are in their area.
I would be very grateful if you could let me know whether this is something you, your organisation, or members of the local birding community might be able to assist with. If you are not able to help directly, I would also greatly appreciate any suggestions of local birders, groups or other contacts who may be interested.
I would be very happy to provide further information about the project and discuss how the observation network might work.
Many thanks for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Lucian Delaney
University of East Anglia
07554 002811
