1977 Walter D. Koenig 6 Melanerpes formicivorus Road 1 Hastings Reservation (5 May) Valhalla but nobody was home in any of the holes. 6 May 1200. Bird in the hole again. If it weren't pouring rain(!) I'd go up and check again. 9 May 1145, Bird in hole. It's still raining, but I'm going to have to go up and look. 1215. I did and it was worth in after all: 6 big, healthy, fresh eggs! Since I last went up on 5 May at 1500 (4 mornings ago) this is for sure the product of 2 ♀♀. 10 May 840. Watching nest hole. ♂ looking out. 854. ♂ finally flew out of hole. 855. ♀ YLW#354 flew to and entered hole. 910. ♂♂6 came to hole, ♀ left, but the ♂, possibly seeing me, left also rather than going inside. 940. Hole still empty. Raining again. Cold. I'm leaving. 1020. Back again. Now watching granary from hide. 1035. A bunch of birds suddenly converged in the granary: ①♀354, ②♂♂6, ③♂DBRW#222, ④♀+a-or#69, ⑤♀R-W-R/#180, and ⑥♀♂/#293. All the ♀♀ are here. 1045. ⑦♂ Red/DBW(n)#294. Birds hawkling when sun came out briefly. 1105. ⑧♀Red/DBW(n)#295. 1108. Now that the sun's gone they're back to eating acorns. 1130. Raining again. 1137. ⑨♂PRW#183. That's everybody, and there are apparently no new or different or unexpected ♀♀ here. 1140. Everybody filling up on acorns as it starts to rain again. 1200. Time to go check the hole.