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17th Kestrel nest box site   (Montgomery County, MD)

ABOVE, LEFT: 17th Kestrel Falcon nest box on back of another garage. This is in agricultural fields in the western Dickerson area of Montgomery County, MD. Mounted on 6/9/02. It is the first nest box site property I ever asked about using, in August of 2001. ABOVE, RIGHT: Sugarloaf Mtn can be seen in the southwest view. I have been to the site several times but didn't see Kestrels till the day I mounted the box. 2 were in the nearby tree, and one flew by with food in its talons. BELOW: 5 Kestrel eggs and a Starling egg on 6/1/2003. My now broken camera only took low-quality photos.

On 9/7/2002 I attempted to check the box but decided not to after noticing a large active Hornets' nest just above it. 4/12/2003: The Hornet's nest and 4 neighboring wasp nests knocked down by me.

Kestrels will nest on or in buildings. Here is a photo of a Kestrel nest box on a barn in PA.

Monitoring notes:
4/12/2003: Mourning dove feathers & Starling scat in box, all chips gone so I added hay.
6/1/2003: Five Kestrel eggs and a Starling egg.
6/15/2003: Five Kestrel 7-day-old babies and no Starling egg.
2004: Didn't check the box.
6/30/2005: Building had collapsed so I removed the box.

Click to see box after it was used. (Contains unsightly photos) >>