MIGRATORY LOCUST on Scilly

Couldn't believe it when I kicked this, solitary form MIGRATORY LOCUST at the campsite on the Garrison, St Mary's

  This morning there was a Scilly record of 9 Cattle Egret with new arrival of four in the Pelistry area with the 5 Cattle Egret still on Tresco at the same time. As the St Mary's proved mobile, due to work, I couldn't make it and it wasn't until 14.30 that I had an hour off. With an increase of Yellow-browed Warbler and Black Redstart with Redwing in, I did the Dead Pine Walk where there were a single Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Chiffchaff and overhead, 5 Skylark. When I reached the campsite, I was goin to bird the east side but as Dan was trimming the hedges with a tractor, I opted for campsite B on the west side. I  walked the moat and as I approached the entrance, I flushed a large grasshopper that I immediately identified as a Locust!! It came down close by only to get up again, making that helicopter 'type' sound in flight, and dropping into the moat. Here I quickly relocated, took some pics, and then got Dan attention on the tractor. He came and had a look at it and I sorted out access to come and see the locust. First to arrive were Ren, Will and Mick Scott and was identified as a MIGRATORY LOCUST!! This was a first for me and the others but not for Martin Goodey who joined a few minutes later. The locust seemed quite content munching on grass in the warm sun after flying from probably Northern Africa in these southerly winds. I returned to work while birders continued to twitch it. I discovered later that it moved into cover when dark skies appeared and it started to spit and could not be found.

A bit nervous when I first found this MIGRATORY LOCUST thinking that it's goin to take wing and never be seen again. However, it settled down and showed off for the crowd for nearly two hours! 

There were a high count of up to 10+Whinchat in the Standing Stones Field this morning but I could manage later this after were only two birds 

There were now 4 Reed Bunting in the same field

Geoff Barter reminded me that it was Bruce Springsteen's favourite songwriters birthday, John Prine. 'When your feeling your freedom and the worlds off your back. Some assole from Texas Starts his own war in Iraq' 'Some Humans ain't Human'