July 2024 Kestrel Update

From starting with 4 occupied boxes back in 2019, we are proud to announce a total of 19 successfully occupied boxes in 2024. As of mid-July, 81 kestrel nestlings from FoHVOS nest boxes have been banded this year. That surpasses the record of 65 banded young from the two past years! There are still 2 occupied boxes that need to be banded later this month, so our final banding total should go up by a few more!

We would like to thank our volunteer monitors who go out every two weeks to check on kestrel boxes and report back what they find. A big thank you to Mark B, Angela, David, Cody, Sue, Doug, Betty, Janet, Anita, Pete, Mark K, Heather and Kaitlin for all your time.

We also would like to extend a great thanks to New Jersey Endangered & Nongame Species Program Senior Zoologist Bill Pitts and his volunteers, for all his advice and help over the last 5 years and for coming out to band Hopewell Valley kestrels.