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Post by Tiercel78 on Jun 13, 2005 22:22:14 GMT -5
They are all fledged BT
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jun 15, 2005 16:32:40 GMT -5
Good to hear. One of mine should be fledging June 23, the next ones about 2 weeks later and the other ones about 30 days later and the others maybe 40-45 days from today June 14. The reason there is such a difference in all of them is that I put them up at different times. The last ones to get in the last box where pushed out of their original box by a pair of grey squirrels, otherwise they probably would be right on schedule with the first pair.
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Minca
Full Member
Posts: 389
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Post by Minca on Jun 15, 2005 19:01:57 GMT -5
It's great to hear how your attempts at this are going so successfully! I'm so excited for you!
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jun 16, 2005 19:08:49 GMT -5
Yeah, makes me happy..hopefully some good hawk karma will come my way from thsi, haha. You guys should see that little male kestrel stooping at me when i check the nest box..he wants me dead! It's actually kind of scary being on a ladder trying to check a nestbox not knowing if he is going to hit you in the face when you arent looking and knock you off. He doesn't scream or make noise..he just comes at you like a lightning bolt from the blue. At my other box the female is more protective, the others i havemt really checked on to much so not really sure what they are like. Anyway, more boxes will be up for nest spring...15 to 17 kestrels predicted to fledge this spring, hopefully 32 next year!
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jul 4, 2005 9:11:35 GMT -5
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jul 10, 2005 10:44:01 GMT -5
Latest news out of 16 eggs layed in 4 boxes all but one have hatched or fledged. I am sure that last egg will hatch as when checked the other 3 young were only a day or so old. This has been a very rewarding and succesful conservation project. the American kestrel is far from endangered on the rise in some areas of the country, maintiaining population in others and decline in others as farmland reverts to forest or is developed, (the northest, my area). No matter what the situation is in your area it is a worthwhile effort that is will most likely be succesfull this has also provided some insight on the behavior of this particular nesting raptor our only raptor used in falconry that regularly nests in cavities.
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Post by BlueTiercel on Aug 2, 2005 7:22:46 GMT -5
Okay, update on the dang kestrels. I correct myself 14 out of 16 eggs hatched. I jumped the gun on assumption on one of the boxes. The latest brood is out. 3 fledglings from a clutch of 3. The last brood will be coming out next monday or so i assume. Two more completed boxes I wil put up in that same town and then gotta make a few more that i may erect in my friends area as he says he knows some good spots. Hopefully he can monitor them a bit as these things are going to be quite a project if i get them in other towns...
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Post by Weasel on Aug 4, 2005 8:16:21 GMT -5
Cool pics guys! Keep em' coming!
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jul 4, 2006 8:49:24 GMT -5
So far this year 18 birds out of 6 boxes. Bees took one box over, real honey bees. a bee keeper came and got them for me. . I have one more box that has a pair at it now, hopefully they have success. Peace everyone.
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jul 25, 2006 16:43:22 GMT -5
Have two more pairs , one box that i put up with my sponsor, those are fledged by now i assume and also a nother box that has eggs. So every box i put up had a pair in it at one point. This person is no longer my sponsor and I am no longer doing an apprenticeship, but I hear she and her husband are taking eyases or took eyasses or whathave you from the box we put up.
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wilded
Full Member
Make time for the important things in life...Ed Thomas
Posts: 327
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Post by wilded on Jul 25, 2006 17:24:50 GMT -5
What size are the nest boxes?
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Post by BlueTiercel on Jul 25, 2006 19:24:33 GMT -5
Boxes are about 7x8 inches or 8x8 and i'm sure 7x7 wouldbe fine for the floor. Umm About 19 inches tall on the back side, witha sloping roof and about 6 inches overhang on the front. I think i cut the backs about 22" or 24" the entrance holes are 2.75 inches. Put them up at least 10 feet. 12 feet is better i say. most of mine are 16 or so high though they don't need to that high. Put a good layer of wood chips in the bottom, like the kind you buy for hampsters. Hay can work too but i prefer woodchips.They need something anyway, i bet gravel would work possiblly, but they need something to makea scrape or depression in and they dont add ANYTHING TO THE NEST. Make sure you have drainage holes for rain water in the four corners of the floor. Just cut a little of each floor corner off. Put the box in an area you see kestrels frequenting, hay field, pasture, grassy powerline area. I find lots of rodent hair, grasshopper legs, beetle, cricket, dragonfly, remains. Depends on what is available. I face my boxes east/south east for morning sun and late day shade. feel free to send me an e-mail at carl.blue@gmail.com if you have any more questions. Best of luck!
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Post by 41714049 on Feb 25, 2011 16:37:50 GMT -5
Hey,
I used to place these boxes on posts in the country and wrapped them with metal so nothing could climb... but now at my new place I only have the option to install on my house.
My questions is what are the odds of squirrels climbing on the brick to get to the box? Also, how would I prevent them from getting to it when it is attached onto a brick wall?
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