1985 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Corral Viejo HNHR (1 June) Was found a nest up at the group along the fence line just above the Creeche Canyon pond (follow the fence up from CV#2; see map on back), so after opening a hole at CV#1 that had only a dead starling in it (!) Mark and I climbed it, finding 7 eggs. This group will be known as Outback. 2 June 1700. Opened the new hole at CV#2: 7 eggs, pretty fresh. 6 June Ambushed this morning at CV#1, getting 3 of the 4 girls: 8967, 960, and 9ub. The 2nd 8, however, roosted in the main granary, somewhere — not in some hidden nest, I hope (they are still showing interest in a hole on the knoll) where we removed a dead starling 3 days ago, and I’m hoping they will nest there forthwith!) I banded the 9ub 8 as #1096; both 88 were heavy, their cloacae distended, and their abdomens inflated with a brood patch — hence I assume they are just about to lay, if (as I hope) they aren’t laying already. In hopes that they are just about to nest, I removed the 8 (8967) and put him in the aviary for another temporary 8 removal experiment. 13 June Stanback has been checking CV#1. The story is: both 88 laid on 8 & 9 June, whereas only 1 laid on 10 & 11 June; noone laid yesterday. Hence, they have 6 eggs, and Missy is doing an incubation watch today. Unfortunately it’s quite possible that the 88 were laying (and tossing) when I caught the 8. Thus the experiment is not ironclad..