Home then Back to the Chase

I did indeed fly back to Norfolk arriving late Thursday night.  I got a great night's sleep in my own bed.  Got up this morning, made coffee, filled the bird feeders, and started the day's backyard list.  Joyce had an event at ODU which she was overseeing.  She stayed through another of my cups of coffee, then left.  Last night I had heard about the Baikal Teal near Phoenix, but I thought I would be going for the Northern Lapwing (net photo) in MA on my way to Newfoundland.  However, this morning Chris Hitt called telling me he had changed course last night and gone to Phoenix for the bird, and was in fact looking at it as we spoke.  That coupled with the fact that the lapwing had flown the coop, got me thinking about a change of plans.  What else have I done the last two weeks besides CHANGE PLANS.  But I had come home for a doctor's appointment that I had made from San Francisco, and I had to see what the doc would say.  He said I had at least another month to live, so I changed my Southwest flight from Manchester NH to Phoenix AZ departing at 4:30pm today.  I did a little rushing around, but I made the flight and I'm on my way to Phoenix.  Hopefully tomorrow I too will be looking at the Baikal Teal.  As always such waterfowl raise the question of from whence it came.  This bird sounds pretty good (no bands, no nail clipping, arrived at the same time of year as previouly accepted vagrants).  I saw my first Baikal Teal in China three years ago and it was a stunner.  Oh I almost forgot to tell you.  I booked a flight for a Monday departure to Newfoundland where a Northern Lapwing arrived today!!!