Superstorm Sandy: Frankenstorm - that's the name, don't wear it out...

I'm in my happy place...

Only slightly decent pic I took today

Team awesome was back at it today, birding with Mike/Ken Burrell, Ross Wood and Brett Fried, David Bell and Barb wire Charlton - we had plans to bird Port Wellar...

We had been talking about how it could very well have been a great vantage point throughout this awesome storm system, but we weren't sure if anyone had checked it yet... 

It really didn't disappoint... Some sightings:

Arctic Tern - 1 juvenile early in the AM .. it was with:

Forster's Tern - 1

Common Tern - 2 or 3

Lots of expected ducks including abnormal numbers of White-winged Scoters. Also Green-winged Teal and Redhead (3) were unusual

Good numbers of both loons and both "lake" Grebes

1 Sanderling

50-ish Bonaparte's

Passerines included some Siskins and Snow Buntings

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The Arctic Tern was pretty obvious when we first all saw it with the FOTE... Clearly smaller and different structure, aged as a Juv - silvery/white inner primaries/secondaries.... I don't really feel comfortable enough writing it up for the OBRC, but more than happy enough to count it on my personal list... Another rarity from Sandy...... Jeeesus

After that the terns were really confusing not giving good looks and wandering back and forth and I got a lot less excited about them (personally)...

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It wasn't too long into the day that we noticed we were largely goofing around and chatting... Sort of the "happy place" after some INSANE crazy days of birding and mega rares around ever corner... 

So we decided to go into town and grab some lunch and brew! Then headed for home..

3 months form now I'll be looking back and wondering why I didn't bird dawn till dusk at a frantic pace with such incredible birds to be found.... Which is ok, because that'll be motivation and excitement building feelings for the NEXT big storm

And don't get me wrong, I'll still be birding a lot over the next few days, but maybe not quite at the same pace... Will probably go to the end of Fifty Rd in Grimsby tomorrow for a Lakewatch in the morning....

Oh sandy...