1976 Walter F.D. Koenig 17 Melanerpes formicivorus Plague (20 July) 1410. The above 2 seem to be the only major banded birds around; most others are unringed. The 2 banded birds also seem to be hanging around together more than randomly. Right now only 5-6 birds are active outside the sap area; chasing is not great nor is activity extraordinarily high. 1415. Some chasing again. 1418. $157 remains notable in that she seems to rush off and wakes greet any bird (who is almost always a ♀) that lands in the 20 tree, where she almost exclusively is staying. 1420. I caught a bird: ♂ DB-LP/DB 812-35735/LP#193 from School Hill 1445. $193 let loose. Generally high level of activity present still. 1455. Just caught another bird. An unringed ♀, now #313. 1530. Put a 2nd net up. Caught an unringed ♀, #314. 1630. Caught a 2nd unringed ♂, #315. 1715. All birds released. Things are quite quiet outside now. 1830. Watching irregularly, very few birds had been around during the last hour. Suddenly 4 appeared and after some brief commotion and fighting flew to the sap tree. 1848. $157 in Locusts by the bunkhouse; others still in Live Oak sap tree 1850. 2 birds in 20 tree; others by bunkhouse. 1900. Birds are engaged in heavy sapsucking over there; there is not a whole lot of activity and they are virtually invisible. I'm off (nets will remain for now). No more birds had been caught by the time I took the nets down at 2030. At dusk, I only saw/heard 2 birds; the others had all apparently gone home.