1980 R.L.Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Plaque Hastings Reservation 9 May Start watch again at 0715 from prospective nest hole in Buckeye canyon. Checked hole, nothing. 0915, a big fat zero, no visits, no hotlin' They seem to have lost interest in this hole. 0945 watching from Adobe Hill. All but ♂521 seen briefly in top of Plaque tree. 1010, a quickie mount exchange between ♂473 & a ♀ I think was ♀496. 1140, watching from behind labs, ♂473 follows ♀494. Seems like he may be doing it alot, despite copulations with ♀496. Earlier, I flushed a bird from VO next to labs, where sleazy holes are 1245 Bingo! Birds fly down there again, and I flush two birds out of a lousy looking hole in the Davis- Valley Oak Griffin office. Checking out (pretty easy, one length extension ladder, no eggs! Good! I guess these guys are still getting primed. The hole is in a very thin dead stub, facing down and south. If they do indeed nest there, it could be a problem opening it, because the walls must be paper-thin. We'll see. My impression today is that ♂473 is following ♀494, and ♀496 is sort of moving with them. ♂521 is the odd man out, and he seems to be spending all his time moving around. It would be nice to get some data, but birds have been very difficult to watch, staying well-hidden in Plaque tree, and the Upper Barn tree. Roosting I flush 1 out of the canyon hole early. Bothers in VO by labs early, fly off toward canyon late.