1980 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Hastings Reservation, Monterey Co., Calif. (17 May) BLOM TWO, where I found several holes and watched 2 birds hawking and preening. But, even though I even climbed up to check several holes that looked good, I found nothing that I could confirm as a nest. Nonetheless, there are birds here, acorns here, and surely a nest, so I'll just have to try again. Over at Corral Viejo, I first checked CVC#1, where a bird was in the hole in the large Valley Oak at the fence that I opened in 1978 (the nest was apparently predated that time). Climbing up, I found 5 eggs, opaque and incubated. Next, at CVC#2, there was also a bird in a hole, one immediately below the one I opened here in 1978. I also climbed up to it and found 1 newly hatched baby plus one egg which was pipping for a suspiciously low crutch of 2 (making me guess that this could be a 2nd nest already). In any case, it's yet another couple of babies to get in a few weeks. Finally, I checked the holes in the large Valley Oaks toward Hastings (CVC#3?) just out from Corral Viejo but didn't see any sure sign of anything there. 18 May late this afternoon I climbed up Boson Oak Hill (from the 2nd bridge) to get the 4th nest which I found on the 16th. It had 3 babies (~12 days old), now #558-560, and will be referred to a POHill#5 (see map on back). I also found another group I hadn't known about on the way up, but I was unsuccessful at finding a nest there.