There has been a Kestrel pair in the territory around two nest boxes. The pair have been checking out both nest-boxes, perching around them, and going inside the boxes. Yesterday (March 26) and today there has been another Kestrel pair flying over one of the nest boxes. In response the resident pair spent a lot of time on one of the nest-boxes, went inside about three times each as well as copulating on the nest box and the top of the building. Neither of the pair actually landed on a tree or the nest box that I saw, but kept flying over the area of the nest box.
Today the new pair of Kestrels was back and this time the new male landed on a tree while the resident pair was perched together at the top of the building. The new male then flew and perched on the top of the nest box. In response the resident pair flew from the top of the builing causing the new male to fly away. The male perched on top of the nest box and the female flew inside the nest box. The new pair stayed in the area for most of the morning and the resident pair would fly after them. There have been several more copulations today between the resident pair as well.
It is interesting to me that this new Kestrel pair is so persistant and I wonder how long they will remain in the area. While I had nest boxes up in this area last year, this is time a Kestrel pair has set up territiory let alone attracting two pairs. I also have two nest boxes up about 150 yards apart just to give the Kestrels an option and my intent is to remove the un-used box after the resident pair selects a nest box.
