1979 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Blade Oak Hastings Reservation 2 August 830. Checked the nesthole, where sure enough were the remains - pretty well picked clean - of j498. This is now the 2nd baby banded this spring who didn't end up fledging after all. (see 3 Nov., below). Several birds were heard in the vicinity. There were no stores in the granary as yet. 16 September 730. 3 birds up in the perch area inc. ①♂ or #321. One by one all 3 flew off toward Bianca, where I heard a fair amount of greeting. There are at least 12 new stores in the granary here. The fall has finally begun. 65 October 1600. Flushed 2 birds here in passing and noted that the central storage area here is already almost full of stores already! 15 October 1730. Flushed one bird from here in passing. 16 October Purge: 8428. Last seen 28 April; gone, it would appear, by the time I began watching the nest on 26 May → Disappeared about 12 May ± 2 wks. 3 November Looking at the remains of j498, found 2 August, I noticed that the left tarsus is broken. Thus, the apparent defect I noted when banding this bird back on 21 June was real and may very well have been the cause of his demise. 8 November 1000. Watching. Nobody in the area. 1045. One bird in here somewhere, but no one's in sight. And I'm getting cold. Going to walk around and count stores. Stores: Central area: 1471 ? 2043. These trees are Side area: 572 [illegible]. loaded!