A. Kestrel boxes on highway sign backs: Good intentions, good results! It's a cold slap in the face to hear the bad news that a young kestrel was hit by a truck, particularly if it's one of those fledged from our project boxes! In any case, from a cold statistical point of view (large organizations must be guided empirically, not sentimentally) this loss only diminishes the net gain of kestrels fledged from kestrel boxes mounted on highway sign backs. We did our homework--many states allow monitored sign-back boxes, we have lots of data from these projects suggesting that losses to collisions are very, very low! Alternatives to sign backs? Ideally, we would place poles and hang boxes away from roadsides, but that's logistically overwhelming and too costly. We remain ready to work with individuals who may wish to offer materials and locations for installations away from roadsides; places like remote barn walls, abandoned electrical service poles, erected poles, other options that allow for predator-guarding (respond to me personally, off line). In addition to the Route 30 Kestrel Trail, OOS worked with The Wilds and AEP ReCreation Lands back in 2007 to erect 15 boxes at birding access points throughout The Wilds and adjacent ReCreation Lands. These are the boxes you see when you join OOS and your friends at The Wilds for our free annual mid-January Raptor Extravaganza. We saw kestrels along with visiting northern species like Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and more at our most recent event there just six weeks ago. The Route 30 Kestrel Trail The Ohio Ornithological Society (OOS), partnering with the Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI) and The Peregrine Fund's American Kestrel Project and further with Ohio's Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Division of Wildlife (DOW) designed, planned, installed, maintains, and continues to grow the Route 30 Kestrel Trail. We are seeking extended partnerships, by county, to replicate and expand the effort. Today, partners monitoring the boxes include students from Findley University and volunteers and professionals with Crawford County Park District. Throughout the Southeast and Midwest, many states are partnering with volunteer organizations and student efforts to install needed nesting cavities for N. America's smallest falcon. Widespread monitoring efforts are underway. Lots of young falcons disperse along these essential habitats. This is good news for little falcons and the people who love them! Ohio's DOT is the largest land holder in Ohio. They erect thousands of signs well suited for attaching kestrel boxes, kestrels benefit when we join forces. We approached DOT and worked with them and Ohio's Division of Wildlife. Jim McCormac opened doors for us with DOW and ODOT, and Amanda approached U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to obtain guidance and various permitting--no small challenge. Amanda Duren was instrumental in the success of this effort. Funding of boxes and monitoring equipment was contributed by generous Ohio birders (thank you, so much), The Ohio Ornithological Society, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, and by The Peregrine Fund. Boxes were assembled at no cost by the OOS Board and many boxes by Charlie Zepp, a mega-volunteer. Charlie has cut and built over five thousand nest boxes, mostly for bluebirds, etc. His skills have been essential in our effort to construct quality, lasting boxes. Generous people fill in gaps for successful project completions! We, particularly Amada Duren, coordinator for OBCI, have done exhaustive literature searches and spoken at length with other project leaders, other states. This is the right thing to do for kestrels! We continue to need funding for monitoring and expansion. If you wish to direct your contribution to this project, you can contribute directly to OOS or to OBCI (contact me personally). Thanks to all who make important projects happen! Tom Bain Bird Conservation Chair Ohio Ornithological Society -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Manon Van Schoyck Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 9:57 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Am. Kestrel nest boxes - good intentions, undersirable result I am copying Dick Tuttle and perhaps he can respond to the kestrel box question/comments. Manon VanSchoyck -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Herman Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 5:49 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] Am. Kestrel nest boxes - good intentions, undersirable result While driving along routes 30 and 23 near Upper Sandusky, I noticed someone or group has put American Kestrel nesting boxes on the backside of hiway signs along the 4 lane hiways. Is there something wrong with this picture? We've got kestrels who at least occasionally fly across lanes of traffic to get to the median grass area, and semis and other vehicles zipping down the hiway. Is this in the best interest of the kestrels? I unfortunately witnessed a kestrel taken out by an eighteen wheeler. I'm all in favor of putting up nest boxes, but at locations that don't jeopardize the safety of the birds. Good birding, John Herman ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]