1978 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Lower Arnold 2 Hastings Reservation 14 February No sign of any birds (or stores) here; I strongly think that this group is gone. 17 February Still no sign of anyone here again today. 18 February 1550. 1 bird sitting atop outer tree. 1555. 1♂ and 1♀ in perch tree; flush to midtree on Bianca's knoll. ♀ appears ♀ wn/DB , ♂ M/LA ; probably Bianca Birds- they certainly don't correspond to anyone (formerly) in the group here. Nonetheless, something may be going on here; I better plan on watching here soon. 1600. A♂ and ♀ flew by again, first landing in the tree between the granary and the Top tree, where the ♀ sapsucked, then up to the top tree itself: ♀ Mauve / Yel-Red . Solved: these birds are A3 birds, to wit: ①♀wn/DB = ♀ yel/DB #128; ②♂M/LA = ♂M/LB #204; and ③♀Mauve/Yel-Red = #207. 22 February 3 of the 4 ♂ that had been living here are back at A3 and were seen there today (not surprisingly). See A3 notes. 24 February For now, purge ♂121, 122, and 123: last seen here 14 November; gone for sure by 22 Feb.78 when seen at A3 but most likely abandonment occurred nearer to 31 December, when by which time the stores here had been depleted. → Abandoned about (seen again) 31 Dec. 1977 ± 2 weeks. I'll leave the other 2 (the ♀ and ♂) here for now pending further observing here and at A3. 13 March No sign of any birds here. 30 March Nobody roosting here late this foggy afternoon.