1980 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Plague Hastings Reservation (12 April) Meanwhile, ♀494 was just above them on the branch. About 2 minutes later, ♂521 chased ♀496 again. ♀522 would definitely appear to be gone, by the way, → Left group about 11 April 1980. Meanwhile, both ♀494 and ♀496 have clearly moved here. 16 April 115. Something going on here - 1 bird getting chased (♀496??) other 3 quite friendly. Either there's an additional intruder or else ♂521 is really running ♀496 out or else get something completely different is up here. 2 May At dusk all 3 birds were up the canyon behind the Upper Barn (on Tregea's); but just at roosting time they zoomed down to the main area somewhere or other. Thus, I failed at finding their roost hole. I don't think they returned up that canyon (although there are some holes up there). 10-12 May The big news here is that ♀494 laid an egg in a hole in the Blue Oak by the bbs at 0700 on 10 May - with Ron diligently watching. We proceeded to put a full dawn-to-dusk watch on the hole, supplemented by numerous hours of watching the group by Ron. However, by 1400 on 12 May we gave up: even though there had been some visits by the birds to the hole, none laid any more eggs or tossed out the one that was there (we checked the hole after every visit by a ♀). Furthermore, no woodpeckers at all went to the hole from about 1300 on 11 May on. We also kept checking the hole up the canyon that Ron found, but there was no further sign of breeding activity by the evening of the 12th. (go to p. 12)