1982 1983 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Westgate Hastings Reservation 29 September 1625. Watching. 1640. Nobody here. Going to look around on foot. 1645. Now ♂ DS-LB/ #692 in granary. 1655. Pretty slow down here. Leaving. 1700. Back again; 8692 and 8 La/La #58 sitting quietly in granary. 1713. 858 sculled out once and returned. A ♀ is here also, but at 1716 she zipped off into the forest. 1716. ♂692 and ♀ M/LB-LB #599 both returned with green live Oak acorns and are now eating them. 858 here also. Certainly no sign of a nest. 1720. Leaving November 1015. 858 seen when I was here counting stores: 282. Most of these are in the very high perch limb. 1983 10 January 1215. Counted stores: 1354. Not bad! 22 March Susan and Ron ambushed this morning, successfully nabbing and removing #599. The morning was not good- it's raining but a Power Struggle did get started right away, and by 930 or so there were 10+ birds fighting away, including most or all of the Gate helpers. Currently (1100) things are still going, and all of us are out here watching, but the rain is making observations rather difficult. 1115. Now watching. ♂ Ret(m) #790 (Gate) here. In the center along with 858 (apparently winning?) are 8687 and 8798 from ARF, TOO. A 4th bird (♀ub) there also. 1130. These 3 88 seem to be pretty well in control of the center of the tree -