1979 Ronald L. Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Lower Haystack Hastings Reservation (30 June) ♀630 harvesting wild oats near the nest tree. She would perch close to the ground on some fallen branches, then dart out to pluck the oats. At first I thought that she was just flycatching unusually close to the ground, but I then saw her hull one at an anvil and then take it to the nest. I saw her feed the babies oats twice 1 July A good nest watch in the morning. Nothing especially exciting, although I did see all three of the birds gathered on the secondary granary briefly. They did a lot of poking, proying, etc., and may have been storing oats or insects. 2 July Watched at the nest here in the afternoon, details on the back. Nothing particularly interesting, although ♀630 did do a bit of oat-harvesting as she had on 30 June. This bout was not as extensive, but she did appear to feed the nestling oats on one occasion. 11 July Walt + I ambushed here early this morning, but once again the unbanded ♀ (630) gave us the slip. We did manage to catch the 1st yr. bird, ♂461, which was molting his heavily worn plumage. Incidentally, Sievert, he did not scream once, even though his presumed father is here, and he is an outcome of probable inbreeding. 13 July Watched roosting here, the night after Nancy reported all three birds roosting in the nest. Tonight it was ♂307 plus another bird of unknown sex + banding status. 14 July Watched the nest here in the afternoon, and things went