1976 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Hastings Reservation 13 June Watched at dusk, seeing/hearing [all] 5 birds and watching most or all of them roost in the sycamore, where an ambush may be called for. 15 June Set up for an ambush, but everybody roosted in a different hole in the same sycamore! 18 June 1735. One bird found sapsucking in the corner live Oak; nobody else around, as I suspect they're all in there. 1445. 8261 in locusts at the barn. I watched him probe into the tree bark and come out with what seemed to be a small acorn bit, which he drilled at and ate. Clearly, though, remaining acorn stores here consist of little more than scattered bits and pieces, few and far between. 1750. 8259 below the 1st 8, also in the locust. This bird I watched for at least 5 minutes busily probing into a crevice between the bark and wood, several times coming out with a juicy morsel clearly of arthropodan affinities. Probing consisted of 5-10 second bouts during which the bird would often bend his head 90° or more in toward the tree and then pump his head back and forth ½" or so into the crack in search of his quarry. Only once, after several minutes of the above, did he go ahead and actually drill at the spot for a few seconds; during this brief interval he succeeded in breaking off several small chunks of wood. Then, after a several more probing ventures, he came up with what looked like a fair-sized (bill-length, perhaps) moth (Noctuid?), which he promptly moved up the branch with. The other prey seemed to be considerably smaller, not easily seen, but definitely soft, juicy things (larvae?), not hard, dry acorns.