1981 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Gazebo Hastings Reservation 10 January 1245. Watching from hide. 1345. Bitch. Time to have a look around. 1347. ①♂ LM/M #517 in dead tree over toward forest. Flew to small Blue Oak to sap suck; a ♀ there also. 1408. Picked up 2 more wandering around: ②♂ DB-WH/DB#516 and ③♂ LB-BLK/LB#571.. 1430. Giving up. Blind set at one of the sap areas for next time. 11 January 1050. Watching from blind. 1100. ①♂ 517 here now sapsucking. 1106. ②♂ DB-WH/DB #516 now here sapsucking along with 8517 1122. ①♀ YEL-DA/YEL#509 up in snag with 8517. 1205. After all this time, 8517 and ♀509 are still here while 8516 left quite a while ago and no one else has shown up. Time to take a look around before leaving. 10 February 1430. Wandering around here, I saw ①♂ M/YEL-DB#516, ②♂ LB-BLK/LB#571, and 2 ♀♀, both of whom were banded and were (I think) consistent with being ♀509 and ♀570. Thus, 2 of their 6 babies have made it. The question remains, however, as to what they're going to do about a breeding? this spring? 1440. ③♂ LP/M #517 sapsucking over in sap area. 16 April 1230. ♂ DB-LP/DB#516 seen here in passing 23 April 1600. No one seen here in passing. 28 April Ron reports an unbanded ♀ here at last! Also, Pam reports having seen ③♂571 (from here) at the Blonquist Pond down by the Pump today at 1700.