Fall birding can be a nightmare for me. I know the birds are migrating south, but since I frequently either can't find them, or I can't identify them, I get frustrated. The fall challenge is twofold. Then, when I finally do get my binoculars on a bird, I often get the feeling that I have discovered a new species.
Nothing looks familiar.
When I encounter a bird in worn, nearly unidentifiable plumage, I generally go through three phases. The first is the excitement of discovering an exotic new species, like the Unspotted Sandpiper. The second phase is the frustration of not knowing what I am looking at. An odd bird may be a truly unusual species, or just an unusual individual of a common species. Or it may even be an unusual individual of an unusual species.