1982 R.L. Munne Melanerpes formicivorus Chongo 7 Jan Watching here 0930, I find ♀565 wnt/LBlue right away, but then from 0950-1020 the granary is occupied solely + uncontestedly by 2 Buckeye birds, ♂663 B1K/LBlue-Red and ♀666 B1K-Red/M, Those 2 birds sat around, eating acorns, until 1020 when ♀565 returned and started to karrit loudly and mildly chase ♀666 (but not ♂663). This commotion seemed to attract the ♂NB, who proceeded to chase ♂663 out of the granary (with some vigor). ♀565 then chased the intruder ♀ out. I saw one of the intruders fly off across the canyon toward Buckeye. 1040, ♀666 returned, chased by ♀565 but not by ♂NB, even though he was there. ** 12 Jan GROUP UPDATE ** ① ♀565 founds Chongo as adult 20 Sept 1981 ±2weeks ② ♂849 (nobod's) " " Age unknown " " " " " ♀565 last seen at 1800 1 Sept 1981; Birds + stored acorns were first seen at Chongo 19+20 Oct. 11 Feb Counted stores, 1530 650 TOTAL Doing pretty well, considering. Flushed 2 birds from the granary as I walked up. So group is still intact, presumably. Also took a sample of ~ 30 acorns (almost all live oak) and replaced them with about 30 of my own 3 April Counted stores, 1630: 410 TOTAL Not too bad. Also, walking around with Molly, we find a new roost hole. On Buckeye, 20 m above canyon, is spidly but relatively large Valley Oak 50 m upstream from Chongo. It isn't a great hole, but it could be where they've been roosting Also, a nice-looking new hole is under construction in the granary