This is a short-lived tradition. On Black Friday while the majority of our country is fighting for the best deals, my kids and I are instead, out fighting for as many bird species as we can find in a day. This was our third year. We set the bar high in 2014 with 97 species, with the help of Alex - a superb birder and friend, and another friend Matt, who while not a birder, is a gifted naturalist. Unfortunately Matt couldn't make it this year. But we had Alex... the ringer.

So here's how the day was laid out:

1. Leave my house at 4:45 AM.

2. Bird Cape May, South of the canal, picking up whatever we can and calling it quits by 11:30. We would concentrate around the State Park, hit Coral Ave, the Meadows, and whatever else we had time for...

3. Head to Brig (Edwin B Forsythe NWR)... Do a quick 8 mile loop, seeing what else we could pick up quickly. For those who haven't been there, there is a wildlife loop out into the marsh. It's an incredible place to bird. Be done no later than 2:00.

4. Arrive at Barnegat Light by 3:00. Barnegat is a premier birding spot on Jersey's coast in Winter. It is home to the fabled Harlequin Ducks. Walking the jetty is a rite of passage for NJ birders; and hopefully not killing yourself in the process.

5. Arrive at Bridge to Nowhere to see if we can pick up an owl or two at dusk and into the impending darkness.

So that's the main gist of the day. Instead of list the birds, I'm gonna add photos of everything. Of course, I didn't get photos of everything this day. But if I captured something half-decent, I added it. I will fill in the holes with past photos. I figure its a big day... might as well be a big blog. Will we beat last year's mark??? We had high hopes. Here we go...

1. Canada Goose

2. Mute Swan

3. Tundra Swan - this was spotted through Alex's scope, so I took a distant shot.

4. Black Swan - still hanging out... an escapee.

5. Gadwall

6. Eurasian Wigeon - a rare, but regular visitor to Cape May.

7. American Wigeon

8. American Black Duck

9. Mallard

10. Northern Shoveler

11. Northern Pintail

12. Green-winged Teal

13. Redhead - Ok, we saw a female on Lily Lake, but I cheated with the photo of a drake.

14. Ring-necked Duck

15. Lesser Scaup

16. Surf Scoter

17. Black Scoter

18. Bufflehead

19. Ruddy Duck

20. Red-throated Loon

21. Northern Gannet - these were spotted with a scope, but I'm adding a close-up pic because they are worth it.

22. Double-crested Cormorant

23. Great Blue Heron

24. Turkey Vulture - we had zero vultures until noon. Nothing was in the sky.

25. Black Vulture

26. Northern Harrier - This guy was hunting at Brig.

27. Sharp-shinned Hawk - flyby's but here's a close pic.

28. Cooper's Hawk - same

29. Red-shouldered Hawk - same... I'm a cheater.

30. Red-tailed Hawk - see above

31. Virginia Rail -ok, we only heard this but it counts. Here's a pic from earlier in the year.

32. American Coot

33. Greater Yellowlegs - both yellowlegs flew by Bunker Pond and were an unexpected find for the day.

34. Lesser Yellowlegs

35. Ruddy Turnstone - we actually saw our first on the sunken ship. This was from Barnegat.

36. Ring-billed Gull

37. Herring Gull

38. Lesser Black-backed Gull - comparison shot on the beach off of Coral Ave.

39. Great Black-backed Gull - and an adult since I posted an immature above.

40. Rock Pigeon

41. Mourning Dove

42. Red-bellied Woodpecker

43. Downy Woodpecker - we somehow missed this bird in the previous year.

44. Northern Flicker

45. Blue Jay

46. American Crow

47. Fish Crow - told apart by call.

48. Tree Swallow - This poor guy appeared on a branch ten feet from us while we were looking at the black swan. Either tired or injured, it didn't budge. I snapped a few shots and we let it be, hopefully to recover.

49. Cave Swallow -the boys found this guy underneath the pavillion at the hawk watch. Sad. We debating whether to count it, but fortunately had one fly by with a group of tree swallows. No photo of that one.

50. Carolina Chickadee

51. Tufted Titmouse

52. Carolina Wren

53. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

54. Eastern Bluebird

55. American Robin

56. Gray Catbird - embarrassingly, we first thought a squirrel was a catbird. Eventually we rectified the situation.

57. Northern Mockingbird

58. European Starling - a bird is a bird, right.

59. Cedar Waxwing

60. Yellow-rumped Warbler - I have seen way too many of these already!

61. Field Sparrow

62. Dark-eyed Junco

63. White-throated Sparrow - We heard their familiar tune throughout the day.

64. Song Sparrow - This was the only bird we picked up from a very slow Beanery stop.

65. Northern Cardinal

66. Red-winged Blackbird

67. Boat-tailed Grackle

68. House Finch

69. Purple Finch - This female or immature male stopped for a quick photo shoot at the hawkwatch.

70. Pine Siskin - an old, not so great photo. These flew over a few times.

71. American Goldfinch

72. House Sparrow

73. Snow Goose - a few hundred geese were seen at Brig.

74. Brant

75. Greater Scaup

76. Great Egret - only two on the day, both at Brig.

77. Bald Eagle - only one on the day, after a bald eagle bonanza last year.

78. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - simultaneously the most exciting, and most disappointing part of the day. This was an extraordinary lifer that we got great looks at through bins and scope, but sadly stayed too far away for any chance of an identifiable photo. LIFER for me and the boys.

79. Peregrine Falcon

80. Savannah Sparrow

81. Common Eider

82. Harlequin Duck - only one, but I'll take it considering we missed it last year.

83. Common Loon

84. Dunlin

85. Least Sandpiper - two of these were a welcomed surprise on the Barnegat jetty.

86. Great Cormorant

87. Swamp Sparrow

And... that's it. No, we didn't beat last year. We actually fell way short after a great start in Cape May. That said, it was an amazing day. The sun was bright, the temperature was in the mid-50's, and the birds were good! I can't wait to do it again next year. I'll leave you with a few random photo's from the day. The countdown to Black Friday Big Day 2016 has begun...

...step into the outdoors.

Monarch Butterfly found roosting in Cape May.

1. Jefferson Salamander - Ambystoma jeffersonianum

These guys are definitely the most aesthetically unappealing of the group. Not many would argue. Nonetheless, these salamanders kick some ass. They are usually the first group of salamanders to arrive to the vernals (seasonal ponds). Sometimes, I find it hard to believe they've made their way out of their burrows and across the frozen ground - often to find cracks in the ice at the edge of their pools.

In fact, one year I thought I had it figured out. It was the first warm rain. Snow was on the ground. It had been cold for a while. I arrived at my spot to help some of these guys cross the road in the rain. In 45 minutes, I saw about 100 Jeffs and 50 Spotteds. Would you believe every single Jefferson was heading away from the pool, while every last Spotted was headed toward the pool?! Not a single exception. I still have no idea when the Jeff's would have even moved before that night.

2. Blue-spotted Salamander - Ambystoma laterale

This blog isn't meant to bore you, but I should quickly mention something here. In my area, the Jefferson and Blue-spotted Salamanders hybridize. They call it the "jeffersonianum/laterale complex." Basically, there's no way to tell if your salamander is a pure species or a mix without a DNA sample. That said, one of my favorite spots does have a lot of pure laterale (as evidenced by a scientific study). I'm not going to pretend the salamanders I find are pure, but I like knowing that they physically look like blue-spots should look, and that they "might" be pure.

These are typically the smallest of our mole salamanders, and let's face it - the mole salamander family's draw is the size. Nonetheless, I'm a sucker for the color blue anytime it shows up in nature... especially in its fauna.

3. Marbled Salamander - Ambystoma opacum

Marbled salamanders are 4-5 inches of chunky amphibian. Their jet black and silver or white bars are striking.. They are also our only Autumn breeder. When the rain hits at night in early September, they will march toward their vernal pools. After breeding, the female will lay eggs under cover or leaf litter and guard them.

Its amazing - she will choose a spot at the edge of the vernal and as it increases in depth, rising up the bank over the coming weeks, it will flood her chamber. The deposited eggs will hatch in the water shortly after, and the larvae will enjoy a jump on the competition as they grow all winter long. They have a unique niche in our forests and have eeked out their existence perfectly... doing it differently than every other species around.

4. Spotted Salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

Spring illuminates different images in the mind. For some, its robins; others - flowering plants braving life above the soil. In the herp-world, it may be Spring Peepers or even Spotted Turtles. For me, when I think Spring - Spotted Salamanders move across my mind. That anchor is entrenched deep and will probably not go away as long as I call this region my home.

Spotteds are our second largest mole salamander and by far, the most common. Their bright beautiful spots, large, stout size, and facial structure which makes anthropomorphization a cinch produces an endearing persona. ...a salamanderona?

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is they may be a gateway herp for most if you can get people out on rainy Spring nights, doing some hands-on conservation work. They will always need our help. And while I hold all beings as equal in our circle of life, all of the above may help a newcomer become excited with the sense of helping something "substantial." It's definitely a great starting point. Keep it in mind this Spring. Take a friend out to save some amphibs, or volunteer at a known crossing. *There will be a much more detailed blog on this in February.

5. Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma t. tigrinum

Finally, the catalyst for writing this blog. Tiger-fever is sweeping from Northern Florida all the way up through Long Island, NY. I even have dear friends in Boston lamenting that they can't make it down for even the opportunity to try finding one.

I'm gonna go ahead and say it - Spotteds are better looking. Marbleds are probably better looking. That said, Tigers are definitely the most sought after of the mole salamanders. They are our largest mole. Their earth tones are beautiful and can sometimes exhibit high yellow or lavender undertones. As far as the eyes, they deserve the trophy. Their eye pattern and color is the most unique of all the salamanders in the Northeast catalog. They look like they are spending a lifetime, trippin' balls.

Everything aforementioned, and the fact that they are endangered anywhere near and within the Northeast, keeps us enthralled and intrigued. They are Winter breeders and are just beginning to stir. Soon they will be in the pools making babies and living under the ice for the season. What's not to like?!

Black Friday Big Day - 2015

Catch the Fever

1. Jefferson Salamander - Ambystoma jeffersonianum

2. Blue-spotted Salamander - Ambystoma laterale

3. Marbled Salamander - Ambystoma opacum

4. Spotted Salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

5. Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma t. tigrinum