1976 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Black Oak Hastings Reservation 21 January 4 February 1500. Checked the marked acorns, finding 62/70, with 1 moved. 1025. "Watching in the rain." Birds calling in the lower areas. 1031. A bird came to central area but couldn't be identified. 1033. 23 birds here momentarily. ①♀ unband#247, looks dark, probably ♀98 sitting in tall VO toward A1 field. (yes- seen well a minute later). 1045. ① flew down and away- toward "A1 field" 1047. ②♂ un-BLK/un#103 up in the perch tree now. 1055. 2nd♂ in perch tree; I heard a baby begging behind me (trtrtr call) 1103. ③♀ un-RW#197 over in side storage area. 1105. ④♀ un-LW #198 there also working stores. 1115. ⑤♂ un/yes#102 up in perch tree with 4 others, possibly 1 more too. Several of the birds are clearly eating the oak buds up high in this Valley Oak. They hang upside down chickadee style to reach them on small twigs or stretch out to reach them from larger branches. 1120. ⑥♀ unband definitely seen eating buds up in the VO perch tree next to 2 other group member; this may entail reviving #352, who I'd eventually decided had disappeared at the end of last April. 1125. ④♂ unRW is a MALE 1130. Birds also seen busy eating acorns 1156. ②♂ub seen well again, restoring/eating an acorn in side storage area with everyone else. 1205. Leaving. Only bird not seen for sure was ♂ unband#351, who I thought at one point I might have seen. In any case I suspect he is still here. It is, however, no doubt time to purge the 2 late juveniles I banded here in August (235 & 243).