Thanks everyone.
I didn't even notice the flares at the time, only when I got home and started post-processing the files. Just thinking about the amount of energy involved amazes me as well.
And, yes, I did get to take a look around during the eclipse. The light was just weird is about the only way to describe it. Not like twilight as I expected and I don't really know how to explain it. More like the twilight before a severe storm.