1996 Walker D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Chongo (5 October) Today's "mystery bird" seems to be ♀ M/DP-yel /DP-yel #314, as I later saw j282 at Finch, where he apparently is still α-type. #314 was one of the birds caught during August at Plaque, and is rather more likely in any case. She possibly lives at Buckeye or one of the other nearby groups. 10 October Purge: j311. Not seen after banding/fledging on 3 July. j312. " " " " " " j455. The juv. seen 28 July will be presumed to have been this bird. He was gone by 4 Sept. → Disappeared about 16 August ± 2 weeks. ♀253. This bird was last seen (not too definitively at that) on 8 April, and was gone by 12 May → Disappeared about 25 April ± 2 wks 25 October 1445. Watching. Net up. 1500. 08'ub here with acorn. 1600. (2)♀ub now. 1645. Leaving. Birds were around much of the time, but mostly invisible or across the canyon. Virtually no storing was seen. Counted stores: 734, mostly Quercus (apparently the Blue Oaks have not done well up here - I've seen virtually none on the trees and note the problems being gone through by Buckeye, which is almost entirely a Blue Oak area, where the group has apparently abandoned the area entirely. Chongo is fortunate to have these live Oaks so nearby). 4 November 1610. Watching 1625. Suddenly lots of karrit-cutting from across the gulch. 1640. ♀ub came and fiddled with an acorn in the granary briefly.