1980 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Gazebo Hastings Reservation 8 April This evening I still failed at finding where the birds were roosting but did see the "pack of 3" just prior to going off to roost. Although we don't know for sure who they are, it makes sense that they are the 2 ad 88 and 8485. In any case, they are incredibly tight, all moving and flying in almost perfect synchrony. 11 April 1050. Heard several birds over by the staging tree (next to Blue Oak roost tree) while off looking for holes here. When I wandered over I flushed 8517 from the area. 18 April 1815. Ron had seen birds roosting back in the Blue Oak but had also noticed a bird in the low Valley Oak hole near the '79 nest tree. So I checked it 1st with the peeper and (sure enough) found a nest with 5 eggs - 1 of which was definitely a runt. None was in it when I came, however, so I doubt they're incubating yet. In any case, I'm going to watch to see what happens here tonight at dusk. 8517 P10. 8517 definitely spent the night in the nest. 19 April 1000. Flushing a bird out of the hole, I went up and opened it, finding 6 eggs - 5 good ones and 1 runt! They were measured and returned by 1030. 25 April 1715. Checked the hole: all 6 eggs still there. 2 May 1700. Marked and weighed the babies, of whom there are 4. One of the eggs (the runt) didn't develop at all, but one other had a fully formed embryo in it which just didn't hatch. 15 May 1930. Watched roosting here: 8517 definitely roosted in the nest once again. (go to p.5)