Frederick County, Maryland, has experienced significant growth and development in recent years. However, this expansion has led to habitat loss for species such as barn owls and American kestrels, raising concerns among local conservationists.
“Both of these raptors are declining populations,” said Mike Spurrier, President of the Frederick Bird Club. “These are two species that nested in larger tree cavities, and trees are getting cut down. Habitat is being turned into housing and commercial developments, so we’re losing nest sites.”
Last year, Spurrier began collaborating with the Farmland Raptor Program, sponsored by the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership (MBCP), to increase nesting sites for these species. The organizations build, install, and monitor nest boxes at no cost to local property owners.
Barn owls and American kestrels require large areas of grassland or agricultural fields to nest successfully. To elevate the nest boxes, Spurrier reached out to Potomac Edison, which serves about 285,000 Maryland customers. The company donated seven used utility poles from its Frederick Service Center that had been replaced in the field.
This past spring, the nest boxes were assembled and installed at various locations throughout the county, including two at Othello Regional Park. One nest box at the park was quickly occupied by nesting kestrels, which were joined by five fledglings a couple of months later.
“Visitors to the park are very interested and excited to know that we have baby kestrels,” said Carl Lynch, Natural Resource Program Manager for Frederick County Parks and Recreation.
Andy Brown, who coordinates the program for MBCP, noted that Potomac Edison’s Maryland service area “has really been the stronghold in the state for both species. It’s a critical habitat, and it’s important for us to maintain the numbers that we have here.”
About half of the nest boxes built this spring now have tenants. Spurrier is exploring additional locations with Lynch and others that will feature used poles he deems ideal for the program. “We greatly appreciate the ongoing collaboration with Potomac Edison.”
Protecting birds is not new to Potomac Edison and its parent company FirstEnergy. The company has enhanced its avian protection efforts through initiatives such as installing nesting platforms atop utility poles across its six-state territory and using drones for bird nest inspections. Additionally, they have deployed a mobile app allowing utility personnel to report avian issues in real-time.
“It’s important for us to do what we can to help provide nesting alternatives away from our energized equipment,” said Amy Ruszala, an avian expert at FirstEnergy. “It’s rewarding to help serve our local community and environment in this way.”