We both got up before dawn to see the wolf, but no luck. Maybe it was eating one of those pesky deer. I hope.

We checked out of Gunflint Lodge, and our first stop was Grand Marais harbor. The first thing we saw in the water was a Common Goldeneye. Another duck we couldn’t identify was hanging out with it. I put the scope on it and got a quick look before it dunked its head. It was a colorful bird and before giving the lens up to Pole, I made my pronouncement: “Wood Duck.”

She looked at it for about a two seconds before blurting out in disbelief, “Wood duck? A wood duck? That’s a HARLEQUIN DUCK! How could you think it’s a wood duck?” I took another look, and it was pretty obviously a harlequin. A dumb mistake, though a non-birder may think the distinction is trivial. But I am a birder, and I know I’ll never hear the end of it. In fact, Pole was shaking her head and muttering “wood duck!” all day. I don’t know what a harlequin was doing here, but it was great to find. A real oddity, and I would have called a bird alert, but I didn’t have a number. It’s always nice to see such a distinctive bird, even if it can look like a wood duck under the right conditions — if, for instance, you’re an idiot. A lifer for us both.

We drove south down the coast, and stopped at Bayside Marina where Pole spotted a BOHEMIAN WAXWING on the jetty rocks. We only had a brief look at it — another lifer for us — but we saw the white in the wings. It soon flew away with a partner, and we had to content ourselves with another damn goldeneye swimming in the water.

Our last stop of the day was Gooseberry State Park, where we saw a DOWNY WOODPECKER in some bare birches. But just as we were walking back to the car, a NORTHERN HAWK OWL flew low over the footpath and then swooped up to the top of a tree. It was there long enough to get out the scope, so we had a good look. A couple of people looked through our scope, including one kid who mocked us behind out back by making exaggerated shushing gestures. (He may have thought he was hot shit, but I bet he missed the downy. So who’s cool now, punk?) Anyway, a blue jay also spotted the owl and flew overhead, screaming its crested head off. The owl stayed put, though, only shifting its position to keep an eye on the jay. We saw a couple of these owls during last year’s irruption, so it was nice to get reacquainted. Nice owl. Kinda looks like a wood duck.