Autumn passage really got going this weekend. At my patch at Ferry Hills the sites defining species, Tree Pipit made their first big push with 89 over on Friday and 110 on Sat. One of the earliest autumn migrants, Tree Pips peak during August with 312 last year the day count to beat. Friday was a good day for variety with 74 Arctic Tern in two flocks migrating high inland as well as various species of wader.
Today was quieter overall  but a close Juvenile Merlin was the first of the autumn and suggests  a pattern of Juvenile passage in August that I picked up at Ferry Hills last year as well. I had one (or even the same?) further east in Fife  flying through the Wilderness yesterday. This gravel pit site is proving a good place for waders as usual with species present on Sat including 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 32 Black-T Godwit 14 Snipe and a Ruff.

The Tree Pipits are underway

A typically distant view of a Green Sandpiper at the Wilderness but this site has got a good variety of waders.

The long hot summer has been great for butterflies and has coincided with the buddliea in our garden being well established. Peacock is the main species at the moment while a Small Copper was unexpected.