1994 Mark Stanback M. Formicivorus CVGR. HULTR 3 Apr 1200 Damn I'm good. A single Fresh egg in traditional hde. I even brought a blind (now set). Unfortunately, I couldn't reach the egg, but no matter. Talked to Walt - looks like we'll do a ♂ removal experiment here. Afternoon nest watch. J. reports that one of the BM tossed the egg - r that it was a runt (I remember thinking, it was small-looking, but I figured it was just a deep hole. So a single ♀ with a runt... - a ♂ tossing! 4 Apr J. reports that the same ♂ (2172) again tossed - but this time it was a normal egg. Only her 1616 visited the hole yesterday & today (besides the ♀). J says 1616 was with the ♀ abot. So here's my adaptive scenario. ♂'s in single ♀ groups lay runt eggs to let ♂♂ know things are starting. This way subordinate ♂♂ know to start trying harder. ♀ benefits because this way subordinate BM will be more likely to help more. So... I'll bet single ♀ runt eggs are found only in groups with multiple ♂♂. Also that ♂ egg tossing is only in groups w multi: ♂♂. Remember SHIL > ♂♂ ? 5 Apr 0615 Return From Gazo to find Ginger or Pete camped directly below the nest doing a magpie watch. They move over towards the gate - I sure the hell hope they lay anyway. We can't lose this nest.... 16 Apr Roast watch (me, J, K, Joey). Lots birds into 94 nest hole. No one in 93 nest, fence hole, or W of fence snag.