1979 Ronald L. Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Black Oak Hastings Reservation 26 June Yet another nest watch here, with only one feeding visit to show for three hours of watching. Wrote a letter to Russ & Judy. Details are on the back of the preceding page. 27 June A nestwatch in the PM. One of the nestlings is now peering out of the hole occasionally, giving what sound like incipient karrits. The "other" nestling persists in giving the usual squealing, does not look out, and may not be as advanced as the other. They already appear to "recognize" the calls of their fellow Acorn Woodpeckers, and increase their begging when the adults walk. 28 June A halfway decent watch here, for a change. The high points: 1) 320 Red-<Green/Metal appeared out of nowhere to feed the young 4 times. 426 hasn't been seen at the nest in a week and I'm starting to wonder about him 2) It seemed like the two nestlings were grappling inside the nest to see who would have "the right" to be at the nest entrance. That would certainly be advantageous, since all 9 feedings I saw were made from outside the nest (i.e., the nestling at the entrance was fed). Although I could be wrong, it seemed like one nestling stayed in the front position, giving incipient karrits, while the other stayed below squealing. 3) Empirical Evidence for the aerial plankton hypothesis of how these young have survived: For certain on [illegible] one occasion and probably several times, the nestling at the entrance pecked at and ate the large ants crawling all around the entrance!! (After all, it is Melanerpes