1982 R.C. Mumme Melanerpes formicivorus Lambert 20 Feb Big doings here! 0830, a POWER STRUGGLE! Heres the situation: ① 652 is being seriously challenged by a group of 3 (I'm pretty sure) unbanded 99, and 652 Yellow/Lbrn is losing! The 3 99 are looking very friendly with the 8♂, and seem to have full control of the fence-line trees. 2 of the 99 seem to lack tail spots, while the 3rd is heavily tail spotted and has a broken retrix. 652 is limited to the broken top Valley Oak and the fallen limb, and although this is where most of the acorns are, she seems to be losing out. ② The 3 Lambert 8♂ are here: 88 545 and 624 are especially conspicuous, 669 seen briefly. But also here are other Black Oak helper 8♂: 8497 M/Blk-Red Lbrn/DBlue 546 cm-081/M (especially prevalent doing a lot of chasing it seems) and 8689 or/white. ③ About 4 additional 9 NB hanging around as well: TOTAL PARTICIPANTS = 15 or so. No other strange banded 8♂, but I got a glimpse of somebody I thought might have been BP.M (8583), so I should keep looking. ④ The usual amount of vekating, gerricking, etc. 8♂ still showing a fair amount of aggression toward the 99. Even saw 689 peck 652! 0950, 713 Yellow/Blk or of Black also here, but very peripheral 1030, 652 seems to be shifting a bit to the 2nd fence tree