As color comes to the grapes, so do the Starlings. The nets are going up on all our Pinot Noir. Some vineyards try to protect their grapes with canons, Propane explosions every 12 to 15 minutes, but Starlings soon become accustomed to the noise. David has observed a bird sitting on the canon and when it goes off leaving temporarily only to return seconds later.
There are many other options, falcons real and fake, glittery strips that flutter in the wind and, undoubtedly, some we have not heard of. It is very disquieting for a vineyardist to see hundreds, if not thousands, of Starlings, perched on power lines, or flying in dense clouds waiting for the propitious moment to pounce on your grapes.
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