General Discussion : Our first AMKE nest box project

We at Prescott Audubon Society and Prescott Creeks Partnership in Prescott AZ have four active kestrel nest boxes in our first season of our project.

On 6/9 Arizona Game and Fish Dept.(AGFD) came up and banded eleven nestlings for us which was an exciting experience for us all. We were told by AGFD thet these were the first ever AMKE nestlings banded from nest boxes in AZ.

Today two of us monitored the nest box that still had eggs only on 6/9/17 only to discover we still had eggs and no nestlings.

Since we first discovered these eggs in this box on 5/5 it's way past a normal incubation period so the nest is considdered a failure and the eggs will be destroyed when the box is cleaned at a later date.

In spite of this nest failure it's been a positive experience and we are optomistic about the prospects for next season.

Thank you American Kestrel Partnership and AGFD for helping us in this rewarding program.

David Frechette                                                                                                                                             

Comments:

Jill from MN's picture

Bravo, and congratulations!   

NM-Kestrel-Laura's picture

Hi, David,

Sounds like a good start to AMKE support in AZ! We also had our first-ever occupied nest box this year, having had the box for 3 years, now. We also had 2 eggs that never hatched from the clutch of 4 that were laid in the box. We have 2 thriving chicks now (one male, one female), just on the verge of fledging. This morning was the first time one of the chicks hopped into the cavity rim to look out. He spent a lot of time there, and I suspect by the end of the day, he will be out!

Delorahilleary's picture

What a cute little pair you have there! Congratulations on the success!

NM-Kestrel-Laura's picture

Thanks, Delora!

 

NM-Kestrel-Laura's picture

Wish I could post a video of little sister trying over and over to fly up to sit with her brother...There is quite a size difference even though they are only hatched one day apart. She isn't quite ready. I wonder if she will follow her brother out of the box anyway when he fledges!

Posted in General Discussion by Prescott Audubon Society 6 years 9 months ago.