1981 R.L. Munne Melanerpes formicivorus 1500 Hastings Reservation 24Jan Start 1310; ♂493 CBlue/CBlue in the granary as I arrive. I'm going to try to sit without a blind, next to the creek. ♀623 Red/Yellow shows. 1345 Complete census. ♂297 Orange/Yellow-DGreen, ♂492 Or/Bik, ♂622 M/or-Bik, ♀435 metal/Yellow-white. Pretty quiet, actually. end 1410 [illegible] 7 March Start 1110. Complete census, ♀435 Yellow-Bik/Yellow wnt, only one not seen well, everyone else seen very well indeed ♀623, ♂622, ♂493, ♂492, ♂297. The good news is that the old nest hole appears to be free of bees. Coopers Hawk call, a few birds went to the hole, and went in. Perhaps we ought to clean it out so they'll nest there. Also saw ♂297 take a peek at a hole (or hole start) in the granary low horizontal limb that points toward the 2° tree. Lots of flycatching today. Warm+sunny. End 1218. 4April Start 1120. 1222, ♂kestrel captures skink(?) (slimy lizard with lateral stripe, poured from 1500° granary. Given to ♀kestrell, she eats it. ♂got in a few pecks. Lizard Tail still writhing at 1235. End 1110. ♂297, ♂435, ♂492, ♂622, ♀623 all seen well + repeatedly. ♂493 is missing, certainly doesn't look like a nest will be immediately forthcoming. ♂297 seemed un-concerned as to whereabouts of ♀ ♂297 looked once in the 1979 nest hole, and once in the granary low limb holes. Nobody ever flew back or forth to School Hill.