Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 08:10:50 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Re: Wintering kestrels & harriers In-Reply-To: <003d01c1ad03$51de12e0$b3784e0c@oemcomputer> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hi -- Actually, there is a nest box progarm for Kestrels along Rts 85 and New Design Rd. in Frederick County, and it appears to be rather successful. That is, one can see summering pairs of kestrels sitting on power wires near the boxes. However, I am not sure about success rate of raising young (can anyone help us here?). It appears that at least for kestrels, nest bozes may provide a means of increasing the species' success in areas where natural cavities are lacking. I remember when I lived in urban Baltimore, kestrels would nest in crevices of abandoned buildings. The folks studying the well-publicized Peregrines at the Inner Harbor got numerous calls from citizens reporting "peregrines nest in my neighborhood, too." I wish the solution for Harriers, which are being squeezed out, as Paul notes, was as easy to implement. Cheers, Gail Mackiernan On Sun, 3 Feb 2002, Paul Woodward wrote: > Both American Kestrels and Northern Harriers have decreased on the > past couple of decades,more or less for the same reason-lost of nesting > areas. For kestrels it is the loss of nesting cavities(dead trees,etc) in > what is otherwise suitable habitat. In the case of the harriers which are > almost entirely wintering birds in Frederick and Montgomery Counties it the > loss of habitat to the north where old fields have been converted to > cropfields. Vesper and Savannah Sparrows have also adversely affected for > the same reason. > > Paul Woodward > Fairfax City, VA 22032 > grackling@worldnet.att.net > > ======================================================================= > To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com > with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey > ======================================================================= > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================