1977 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Keep Out Hastings Reservation 29 April 1450. Bird incubating. 30 April 1430. " " 3 May 1145. " " . 2nd bird in granary. 5 May 1700. " " . Flushed out but I heard no baby wicker cries from inside. There are, as before, no whole acorns that I can see still stored in the granary here. (Remember, however, that this same problem occurred last year when long after I thought these birds had run out of stores I saw them feeding acorn bits to their young). 6 May 1530. Flushed bird from hole. Walked over and heard some barely audible rasps: hatching has/is taking place. Looking down, in fact, there was an egg (mark #2) directly below the hole. A small chip in the side was in fact the beginnings of • pipping by the fully-formed embryo inside. Perhaps he is the first casualty of the cold, windy, wet weather today and during the past several days. 10 May 1600. Nobody in hole, nor could I evoke any response from anything inside. I have little doubt but that the weather since 6 May (uniformly cold, wet, poor) has done this nest in. I'll have to wait until I can get the ladder up here to be sure and to see if anything remains, however. 11 May 1200. Opened the hole: nothing left but ½ an eggshell. 13 May 1315. Nobody seen here at all. 17 May 1650. " " " " 1830. As I slammed the truck door shut I looked over to see a bird looking out of the lower hole. At least the group is still here!