1976 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Lower Haystack Hastings Reservation (10 May) 855. Running getting chased by 25 other birds including ♀PLW#192, #3 190, 194, 236. All this in main storage tree and Upper Haystack tree. 900. Checking holes. Bird bacle in knoll. 13 May 740. Numerous birds in the area, particularly down in the trees around the 'nest' tree. Seen were ♀190 and ♂191 plus at least 2 others, probably more. 755. Birds at least in part seem to have gone over to the knoll somewhere or other. 800. One bird seen flying from knoll way off into Blouquists. 806. ♂RRR just flew from knoll to the big Welly Oak in the saddle to displace an intruder who apparently had been sitting there. Intruder is an unbanded ♀. 815. Intruder finally run out of territory 820. Lots of hawking. Birds are shifting their foci of attention frequently; no one place or section of their territory seems to be getting particularly overrepresented. 825. Intruder displaced from storage tree again, flew uphill as did the other bird. Intruder returned to storage area after a minute. Possibly 2 intruders involved. ♀192 seen, 845. That seems to about sum things up: lots of activity here spread out among numerous birds, but also spread out over most of the territory. My guess is that nesting has not yet begun, but probably will within the next week. Holes will be checked before I leave. 15 May 920. Watching. Nobody in sight. Looks like they may be pulling their disappearing number again on me.