Kestrel Nests | paulrossibirds

11-13-2023

Below are some images taken from my blinds near my American Kestrel natural cavity nest boxes. Persons interested in photographing the birds need to communicate with me regarding the timing of the nesting cycle for the boxes. I monitor the boxes with a camera.

American Kestrels are extremely wary birds. If an adult sees any sign of the photographer in the blind (even a shadow moving) it may never go to the nest, and it can attack its mate to make sure it doesn’t go to the nest. The lens poking out of the blind cannot move for the same reason. I set up complete concealment blinds with dummy lens hoods to habituate the adults. My Kestrel blinds can be entered during the morning – no need to enter them pre-dawn, which is usually the case for Kestrels. And there is a one-way mirror for you to look out and see the birds arrive. From the outside the birds only see reflection in the mirror, and they cannot see in.

Find out how to photograph them in flight near the nest here.

Each season is different. The adults can start early or late, depending on weather conditions. If they start early (early May) and there are a few nights in a row of temps in the low 20s (as occurred 3 years ago in late May) all eggs can freeze, and they will not attempt to re-nest. Fortunately, that did not happen last season.

Mirrorless cameras are required, as shutter sound will disturb the adult birds – they often won’t come back to feed nestlings once they hear it. A camera with 20 frames per second, at minimum, is best. A high quality 500mm lens is a minimum requirement. A cable release is required.

Opportunities are possible for flight coming in, feeding, any interaction, and flight going away. It is not required to get into the blind well before sunrise, as is normally the case with Kestrel nests. You get in just after sunrise on a sunny morning, a little later on a cloudy morning.

You never know what the adults might bring in or what might happen.