1981 R.L. Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Low Hay (12 May) At 0830, I checked the Blue Oak hole, and found it empty. So either ♀523 did not lay in that hole at 0600, or she did and the egg was already thrown out. (probably, if so, around 0650, 0640, when all 4 birds were in the Blue Oak area. We will have to watch that hole closely tomorrow morning. 0900 starting watch of ♀524's intact egg sitting on branch of W side of granary (placed there by ♀523). Trying to get photos of egg-eating → ♀524 4 min egg-eating. 0920.00 ♀524 flies to egg, punctures it with her bill (her own egg!), begins to suck up albumen, perhaps yolk as well. 0924.00, she flies off. Lots of albumen sucking + lapping ♂461 0931.45 ♂461 eats egg, sucking albumen briefly, but he leaves 0932.00 ♀523 1:50 of egg-eating 0932.20 ♀523 (the tosser) at the egg. White. (albumen) drooling from her bill clearly visible heads down, bill into egg, for about 1-2 seconds, then head lifted, some tongue lapping movements, then return to the egg 0934.10, she leaves. ♀524 1:15 of egg eating, with ♀523 nearby 0938.45. ♀524 back at egg. 2 inches away ♀524 on right, ♀523 spreading to left is ♀523 (see photos) no aggression. For the first time, apparent that ♀524 is eating a few bits of shell. 0940, ♀524 picks up a large fragment of shell, hitched up the branch past ♀523, eats the remainder of the shell