Kestrel partial success

Last year we were really happy that our Kestrel pair in the nest-box was successful in producing 4 healthy young--and this year the same box ( with probably the same pair) produced 5 young. Unfortunately when we climbed the ladder to ring the chicks one of the 5 was dead. This often happens with birds of prey and owls-where the youngest chick is smallest and if food supply is short it perishes in order for the parents to maintain a food supply for the rest. A rather cold wet period must have reduced the food supply and the littlest one didn't make it.
However, the remaining chicks were very strong and left my hands in no doubt that they would soon be ready to hunt! Their claws are quite sharp and they know how to use them from an early age. This little one looks very imperious for a quick photo call:-

 

Based on the previous year's success we put up another box at the other side of this farm, and two more at another farm a little way away. Unfortunately none of these boxes had anything in them although we did see evidence of birds hanging around one of the boxes which did have a rudimentary nest scrape inside. It often takes a while for boxes to be used--especially when-as we think-it's an immature pair attempting to nest for the first time and them not being 100% sure how to go about things. we remain optimistic that next year we may have at least one mor occupied box.