1982 R.L. Rumme Melanerpes formicivorus Bianca 21 April A hole check, 1300: Nobody in any holes, but at least two birds still around here. Still a few acorns remaining down in the Black Oak. 2 May I walk past here, 1145, and flush a bird out of the low broken stub hole in the Blue Oak near the main area here. Back at 1300, I climb up, peek in, and find 8 eggs, including 1 conspicuous rart! Ah, Bianca lives, with 2 laying 99 (for sure)! Plenty of acorns still here. Will have to open this soon. Banding the birds here wouldn't hurt, either 4 May Opened the hole here, 1000. Mystery. Only 6eggs here now, and the rart is gone. What's more, nobody was incubating when I arrived. Has this nest failed? Will have to check later. Otherwise, these eggs opaque, appear to be about day 8 in development. Tentatively expect hatching 8 May, and banding 30 May 14 May No, the nest hasn't failed. 1300, I climb up and find 4 babies, the largest of which do weighed 25g, so thus 6-8 days old is a pretty good guess, and I will push the banding date up to 29 May 29 May As promised, I band 4 healthy nestlings (now juvs. 763-766). See capture records. 27 June A check here at 0915. An adult ♂, a juv, and a sex unknown adult seen as I walk up. No sign of M/Blecks 2nd nest activity. Also, a ♀NB seen ad Juv. 763 In fact, I got the impression that only 3 birds (2 adults) are still here