2002 Walter D Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus LARB2 19 April 900. Bird in hole. 25 April 845. Watching from blind, 10/5. Bitch. I give up. Going to check the hole. 4 eggs! Not all that fresh. Guess I'll have to try again. 26 April 1207. Back for another try. Cold & cloudy out. 1229. ♂ m/bik #3217 entered. 1253. ♂ left. 1316. ♂ 3217 again; entered. 1352. ♀ w/m #3533 came to hole; didn't enter ♂ 3217 still inside, I believe. 1408. ♂ 3217 left. 1411. ♀ Ret-w/m ? came, left w/o entering. Is this ♂ 3117? Bands old, but how could I mistake the M band? 1417. ♂ 3217 enters yet again. 1420. Leaving. No sign of ♂ #2, unfortunately. 27 April 1920. Watched roosting. Saw ♀ w/m #3533, ♂ m/bik #3217, and a 3rd bird ? LB-ov/bik [2855], plus a 4th unid bird; all of these may very well have spent the night in the nest (♂ 3217 certainly did). No definite sign of ♂ 3216 yet, however. *The most likely candidate for the unknown bird would seem to be ♂ 2855 from LARB (via DKHW), who is, in fact, an older brother of ♂ 3216/3217. So there may be 2 ♂ breeders here after all!