1978 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Haystack-Blonquist (14 September) Hastings Reservation any trees on Hastings side. A hawk seems the likely type culprit, perhaps dropping the remains pulling off the feathers and the leg on the ground after nailing him. Ah well. In any case, storing is on, and these birds at least do have acorns! See Bon's notes for more details. Purge: j 451. Last seen 4 August, found dead (not at all fresh, at least as far as I could tell) on 14 September → Found dead, died about 25 August ± 2 weeks. 15 September 1030. Watching for storing and the babies. 1036. Adults are definitely storing in force: 3 trips already! ♂ Or-Yel/Red #171 seen. Birds are getting the acorns either from or at least in the direction of their sap area. ♀ Yel/Bilk #176, ♂♀ 6th-DP/Dr #247. ♂♂ Or./Bile #173. At least 3 more trips by 1045. 1100. Watched a juv (dark eye) or (wn #449 (most likely) sitting in the fallen limb of the granary for several minutes before leaving. (She?) had been in the granary prior to this, but c does not seem to be participating much in storing. This bird still had a red crown but the light sometimes made the front look def dark and it may be molting to a ♀. 1115. Leaving to count stores. There are babies here, but they clearly are not in to storing as yet. Stores: 1040 (!) already (note that there were 0 ♂ at least as recently as 31 August). These birds are really into the spirit! On the way back I went through the sap area, finding several birds and seeing them fly out toward the granary with acorns picked from somewhere in here.