I started out alone at 5 AM; that's what I get for teaming with botanists, they *never* get out of bed... Heard Song Sparrows singing in the halogen lights of a gas station on Hillsborough Road for my first species. Reached the Irvin Tract just before dawn and heard a Whip-poor-will or two calling, made the early alarm clock setting worthwhile. Added a calling Bullfrog, another new species for the tract list (which we're keeping for TLC, who will inherit the tract from the present owner). Also heard a Northern Bobwhite, but had to later strike it from the list when the farmer next door told me he bred them in captivity and released them on his adjacent farm... Mostly listed animals and ignored other kingdoms for the morning, but did add the Dog Stinkhorn, memorable by both sight and odor, and a few plants; most notably the evil Mahonia, one of a disheartening 20 invasive exotic plant species on the day, as well as the more pleasant native orchid named Rattlesnake Plantain. There was a disappointing lack of migrants, just a Black-throated Blue Warbler, but did get a nice variety of breeders including the first Louisiana Waterthrush and Acadian Flycatcher for Irvin. Also heard an Eastern Screech-Owl faintly whinny well after sunrise, perhaps confused by the sunless gray skies above. Left the tract for a bit, as I was also responsible for area 26 of the Chapel Hill Spring Bird Count. Stopped to view the farm pond at the intersection of Carl Durham Road and Old Greensboro Highway, and had a male Orchard Oriole perch on a fencepost about 6 feet from my open car window and sing! A female appeared nearby too. Stopped to use the Burger King restroom and heard my only other migrant, a Blackpoll Warbler, across the street; also saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings which Will Cook later said might have been the only ones for the count. Eventually the rest of my team - botanists Jay Horne and Tania Rehse, tracker/herbalists Craig and Nanci Armstrong, nature and photography enthusiasts Roger Rittmaster and Jeannie Hutchins, and my wife Airlie - rendezvoused with me at BK, and the count really started. I wanted to get them all back to the nicest part of the Irvin Tract, back along the stream, but (as always happens when the DNHS visits Irvin) we spent too much time identifying things on the way there, and ran out of steam before most of us even saw the stream. Those of us who made it there were rewarded with Hexastylis arifolia and Hearts a-bustin', as well as some huge American Beech and other hardwoods. Sadly, as I hiked on ahead with that group, I missed the day's lone Jack-in-the-Pulpit in the woods behind me. We did not dally and miss the stream without reason. By the pond, we watched male Scarlet Tanager pose elegantly while his mate began constructing a nest out of twigs and dry grapevine tendrils. Once in the woods, we scared up three species of skinks in close proximity to each other. While Roger was photographing the Ground Skink, Craig had a bird burst out of the forest floor at his feet; I told him to look around carefully at the ground, and sure enough, he found an Ovenbird nest with at least six eggs in it! We also ran into several of our favorite insects, like the robberfly Laphria and its fellow bee mimic Bombylius major; the former eats adult bees, the latter parasitizes their nests. A critter that I thought had to be a net-winged beetle of some kind was photographed and later identified by Roger as an Orange-patched Smoky Moth. On our way back to the car, I spotted a dazzling beetle that turned out to be a Sculptured Pine Borer. Craig spotted a Red Fox in a dense stand of young Sweet Gums as we emerged from the woods. Our last species as we left the tract was my first Eastern Amberwings of the year, fueding over territory on the pond. Total species list: 242, not counting some sedges still in the works... Birds - 61 species: Branta canadensis Canada Goose Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture Coragyps atratus Black Vulture Buteo jamaicensis Red-tailed Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-shouldered Hawk Charadrius vociferus Killdeer Zenaida macroura Mourning Dove Columba livia Rock Dove Otus asio Eastern Screech-Owl Caprimulgus vociferus Whip-poor-will Chaetura pelagica Chimney Swift Archilochus colubris Ruby-throated Hummingbird Colaptes auratus Yellow-shafted Flicker Melanerpes carolinus Red-bellied Woodpecker Picoides villosus Hairy Woodpecker Contopus virens Eastern Wood-Pewee Empidonax virescens Acadian Flycatcher Sayornis phoebe Eastern Phoebe Tyrannus tyrannus Eastern Kingbird Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow Vireo griseus White-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Red-eyed Vireo Vireo solitarius Solitary (Blue-headed) Vireo Corvus brachyrhynchus American Crow Cyanocitta cristata Blue Jay Parus atricapillus Carolina Chickadee Parus bicolor Tufted Titmouse Sitta carolinensis White-breasted Nuthatch Thryothorus ludovicianus Carolina Wren Polioptila caerulea Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Hylocichla mustelina Wood Thrush Turdus migratorius American Robin Mimus polyglottos Northern Mockingbird Toxostoma rufum Brown Thrasher Bombycilla cedrorum Cedar Waxwing Sturna vulgaris European Starling Dendroica striata Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica caerulescens Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica discolor Prairie Warbler Dendroica pinus Pine Warbler Geothlypis trichas Common Yellowthroat Icteria virens Yellow-breasted Chat Seiurus aurocapillus Ovenbird (incl. nest w/6 eggs!) Seiurus motacilla Louisiana Waterthrush Wilsonia citrina Hooded Warbler Piranga olivacea Scarlet Tanager Piranga rubra Summer Tanager Cardinalis cardinalis Northern Cardinal Passerina cyanea Indigo Bunting Pipilo erythrophthalmus Rufous-sided Towhee Melospiza melodia Song Sparrow Spizella passerina Chipping Sparrow Spizella pusilla Field Sparrow Agelaius phoeniceus Red-winged Blackbird Sturnella magna Eastern Meadowlark Quiscalus quiscula Common Grackle Molothrus ater Brown-headed Cowbird Icterus spurius Orchard Oriole Carpodacus mexicanus House Finch Carduelis tristis American Goldfinch Passer domesticus House Sparrow Mammals - 5 species: Vulpes vulpes Red Fox Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed Deer Didelphis virginiana Virginia Opossum (fur) Procyon lotor Raccoon (fur) Sciurus carolinensis Gray Squirrel Reptiles - 3 species: Eumeces fasciatus Five-lined Skink Eumeces laticeps Broad-headed Skink Scincella lateralis Ground Skink Amphibians - 5 species: Bufo americanus American Toad Acris gryllus Southern Cricket Frog Hyla chrysoscelis Cope's Gray Treefrog Rana catesbiana Bullfrog Rana clamitans Green Frog Butterflies, moths, and skippers - 7 species: Celastrina neglecta Summer Azure Erynnis sp. undentified Duskywing Hermeuptychia sosybius Carolina Satyr Malacosoma americanum Eastern Tent Caterpillar Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr Satyrodes appalachia Appalachian Brown Pyromorpha dimidiata Orange-patched Smoky Moth Odonates - 8 species: Enallagma geminatum Skimming Bluet Enallagma sulcatum Golden Bluet Ischnura posita Fragile Forktail Epitheca cynosura Common Baskettail Libellula deplanata Blue Corporal Pachydiplax longipennis Blue Pirate Perithemis tenera Eastern Amberwing Plathemis lydia Common Whitetail Other insects - 13 species: Laphria sp.? bee-mimic robberfly Bombylius major Large Bee Fly Chalcophora virginiensis Sculptured Pine Borer Chauliognathus sp. Soldier Beetle Cotidis nitida Green June Beetle Dineutes sp. Whirligig Beetle Photuris versicolor predatory firefly Tenodera sinensis Chinese mantis (egg case) Pedetontus sp.? jumping bristletail Gryllus sp. Field Cricket Odontotaenius disjunctus Bess Bug Chrysopilus thoracicus Golden-backed Snipe Fly Chrysops sp. Deer Fly Arachnids - 2 species: Amblyomma americanum Lone Star Tick Lycosa sp.? Wolf Spider Fungi - 2 species: Stereum ostrea False Turkey Tail Mutinus ravenelii Dog Stinkhorn Lichens - 2 species: Cladonia sp. reindeer moss Usnea sp. Old Man's Beard Mosses - 8 species: Aulacomnium palustre Ribbed Bog Moss Climacium convergii moss Dicranum scoparium Broom Moss Dicranella sp. Little Broom Moss Leucobryum albidum moss Leucobryum glaucum moss Atrichum angustatum moss Thuidium sp. moss Liverworts - 4 species: Frullania iriquoides bark liverwort Frullania asagrayana bark liverwort Frullania complanata bark liverwort Leucolejunia clyeata bark liverwort Ferns - 3 species: Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern Asplenium platyneuron Ebony Spleenwort Botrichium dissectum Grape Fern Conifers - 3 species: Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar Pinus taeda Loblolly Pine Diphasiastrum digitatum Southern Running-cedar Flowering plants - 116 (plus) species: Hieracium venosum Rattlesnake weed Hypericum hypericoides St. Andrew's Cross Acer rubrum Northern Red Maple Rhus copallina Winged sumac Toxicodendron radicans Poison Ivy Apocynum cannabinum Indian hemp Vinca minor periwinkle Ilex glabra Inkberry Ilex opaca American Holly Ilex decidua Possumhaw Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-Pulpit Hedera helix English Ivy Hexastylus arifolia Heartleaf ginger Asclepias amplexicaulis Sand Milkweed Asclepias variegata? White Milkweed Asclepias syriaca common milkweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia Common Ragweed Bidens aristosa Bearded Beggar's-ticks (fruiting) Elephantopus tomentosa Elephant's-Foot (fruiting) Eupatorium sp. joe-pye-weed Leucanthemum vulgare Ox-eye Daisy Prenanthes alba White Lettuce Senecio cineraria Dusty Miller Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Verbecena occidentalis wingstem Mahonia bellii Oregon Grape Alnus serrulata Alder Anisostichus capriolata Cross vine Campsis radicans Trumpet Creeper Lonicera japonica Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Coral Honeysuckle Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Coralberry Viburnum rafinesquianum Downy Arrowwood Viburnum prunifolium Blackhaw Euonymus americanus Hearts a bustin' Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood Carex crinita Fringed Sedge Carex lurida Shallow Sedge Carex complanata Flattened Sedge Carex atlantica Eastern Sedge Diospyros virginiana Persimmon Eleagnus umbellata Autumn-Olive Chimaphila maculata Spotted wintergreen Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood Vaccinium pallidum Lowbush Blueberry Vaccinium stamineum Deerberry Vaccinium fuscatum black highbush blueberry Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud Vicia angustifolia Vetch Desmodium sp. tick-trefoil Lespedeza sp. native bush clover Lespedeza cuneata Chinese Bush-Clover Trifolium campestre Large Hop Clover Wisteria sinensis Chinese Wisteria Fagus grandifolia American Beech Quercus alba White Oak Quercus falcata Southern Red Oak Quercus phellos Willow Oak Quercus stellata Post oak Geranium carolinianum Carolina Cranesbill Myriophyllum sp. Water Milfoil Liquidambar styraciflua Sweet Gum Sisyrinchium angustifolium Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass Carya glabra Pignut Hickory Carya tomentosa Mockernut Hickory Carya illinoiensis Pecan Juncus caespitosus rush Juncus effusus rush Pycnanthemum tenuifolium narrow-leaved mountain mint Salvia lyrata Lyreleaf Sage Philadelphus inodorus Common Mock-Orange Sassafrass albidum Sassafrass Landoltia punctata Dotted Duckweed Smilacina racemosa Solomon's Plume Smilax rotundifolia Common Greenbrier Smilax tamnoides Bristly Greenbrier Uvularia sp. Bellwort Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip poplar Magnolia tripetala Umbrella magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Southern magnolia Morus rubra Red Mulberry Nyssa sylvatica Black Gum Chionanthus virginicus Fringe-tree Fraxinus americana White Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash Ligustrum lucidum Glossy Privet Ligustrum sinense Chinese Privet Ludwigia repens Red Ludwigia Goodyera pubescens Downy Rattlesnake Plantain Oxalis sp. Sourgrass Andropogon virginicum grass Anthoxanthum odoratum Sweet vernal grass Dichanthelium scoparium Velvet Witchgrass Glyceria nubigena Smoky Mountain Mannagrass Microstegium japonicum Japanese Stilt-Grass Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem Ranunculus recurvatum? Buttercup Agrimonia sp. Agrimony Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry Duchesnia indica? Snake Strawberry Malus sp. Crabapple Prunus serotina Black Cherry Prunus syriaca? Plum? Rosa multiflora Multiflora Rose (fruiting) Rosa palustris Swamp Rose Galium purpureum Purple Bedstraw Salix nigra Black Willow Heuchera americana American Allumroot Ailanthus altissima tree of heavan Ulmus americanus American Elm Ulmus alata Winged Elm Viola sororia Common Blue Violet Phoradendron leucarpum Mistletoe Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper Vitis rotundifolia Muscadine Grape Vitis vulpina Frost Grape