You might try building a nest box, if you’re so inclined. Here are some plans.

https://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/american-kestrel-nest-box.html

As for the eclipse, given that I live in Pittsburgh, the best prospects weatherwise for me was going to be somewhere on the south shore of Lake Erie. I got a campsite at Pymatuning State Park (the PA one) and staged out of there.

As it turned out, the best weather prospects on the day were west of Cleveland, so I got up early and drove to Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve up by Huron, OH. It was a nice spot, not too crowded, and there were plenty of birds including herons, egrets and eagles to watch in the meantime. The weather turned out good, just some high cirrus clouds that didn’t really impair viewing.