Birding in August, autumn passage opens

The "early autumn" feel arrives. Wader numbers explode, the first willow warblers and pied flycatchers turn up in cover, and seawatching starts paying off in the SW.

Updated 26 September 2026

August is the month autumn migration becomes obvious. By mid-month, almost every habitat shows movement: scrapes pack with waders, coastal scrub fills with willow warblers, headlands serve up shearwaters and skuas. Inland reservoirs collect black terns and arctic terns on passage.

What's around in August

Wader peak

August hosts the peak diversity for autumn waders. A good East Anglian or Northumberland scrape will give 15+ species in a session. Headliners:

Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint: late August onwards, best after onshore winds. Juveniles are stunningly fresh.
Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit: peak numbers.
Ruff: varied juvenile plumages; reliable on any scrape with mud.
The big east-coast hotspots: Titchwell, Minsmere, Frampton Marsh, Saltholme.

Passerine passage

From mid-August coastal cover (sallows, brambles, gorse) becomes worth checking morning and evening. Willow warbler movements are huge and visible. Look for:

Pied Flycatcher: east-coast scrub. Often appears literally overnight after a NE wind.
Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Wheatear, Redstart: all increasingly likely from mid-month.
Yellow Wagtail: flocks on cattle pasture, especially in Norfolk and the East Midlands.

Seabirds & sea-watching

August is when sea-watching becomes essential. Best sites: Pendeen, Porthgwarra, Berry Head (all SW); Flamborough and Spurn on the east coast in onshore NE-E winds. Key species:

Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater: pelagic visitors driven inshore by gales.
Manx Shearwater: peak numbers off Welsh and Cornish coasts.
Arctic Skua, Great Skua ("Bonxie"), chasing terns inshore.
Storm Petrel, Leach's Petrel: late August during gales; truly rare overland.

Where to go in August

The east coast, dawn, after east winds: Spurn, Flamborough, north Norfolk.
The south coast scrapes: Rye Harbour, Pagham, Pulborough Brooks.
The west: Cornwall pelagics (Scilly day boats), Pembrokeshire islands (Skomer winding down for puffins).

August tips

Watch the wind, the rule "east wind = east coast magic, west wind = west coast magic" is mostly true in August.
Scopes earn their keep this month. Most waders are at scope distance; binoculars alone won't cut it.
Get there early. Tide-driven sites have a window; passerine arrivals are most active 5-9am.

Score points for every passage migrant

Log what you find in your free Birdedex. Rarer birds score more: 1 point for a garden regular, up to 50 for a legendary find.

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