1982 R.L. Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Haystack Blomquist (8 June) in and find the dead remains of ♂173 Orange 71/Black Orange /'812-35722, about 2 days past death (nearing he died ~ 6 June). He was blocking the hole ~ 3/4 of the way to the bottom, facing the entrance. There was no trace whatsoever of the nestling! Very strange indeed. I was afraid at first ♂173 got his foot jammed in the cut of the hole (like what happened to one of the 1980 School still nestlings) but that would did not seem to be the case. Nor would it explain the missing nestling. ♂173 Seemed fine, as far as could be told at this stage. His carcass weighed 87.0g (quite fat), and the only external problem I could see was that the right leg color bands seemed to be jammed up and weren't rotating freely, apparently because the foot scales had built up underneath them. But that seemed minor, and also wouldn't explain the missing nestling. ♂173 Showed no sign of wing or tail molt My only good guess is that some nocturnal predator killed ♂173 (who would have been roosting in the nest) and ate the nestling but left ♂173. But what? A snake? Nights have been quite cold of late for snakes. Also, the whole would have been very difficult for any snake or mammal to get into, Or possibly the nest failed first, young disappeared, and ♂173's death came later, unrelated to the nest failure. Another 'case' when it is impossible