1977 Walter D. Koenig 4 Melanerpes formicivorus 1500 Hastings Reservation (7 March) There are several other birds here also. Stores here are effectively zero (!) [I could see 2 whole acorns in the main tree]. Evidently the "residency" of all the School Hill birds down here has wiped them out fast- indeed. Which leads me to wonder, among other things, as to why banded birds in a new territory don't chase off their old group members? 18 March 1700. There are no birds anywhere here that I can detect. Has this group abandoned and returned to School Hill? 19 March 1200. There are now 3 birds at least here hawking; ③♂YU#194 seen. A banded ♀ here also. ②♂RLLW#195 here. 1215. The ♀, who is now in tree 2 and checked out the hole in tree 1 a few minutes ago, is unbanded as best as I can tell. 1220. ④♂M/Yel #296 hawking in tree 1 (1st-yr School Hill bird) 1225. One of the ③♂ is digging into an acorn over in tree 1 (either they still have a few stores or they've brought some down from School Hill). 1230. ⑤♂Myor #88 here. ♀ in lower Sep Side. Perhaps there is hope for the group yet. The ③♂ are o.k. and even though they occasionally "disappear" from here I can see no reason to believe they're going back up to School Hill. Some School Hill birds are still coming down here, however, and perhaps the ♀ub is one of them. I tend to suspect not, however, and that she very possibly may stay for good. 20 March Having heard lots of activity and calling (inc. garrick calls) I came over and began watching about 1150.