No food for the birds and the bees.
Well, following on from my last post, the nets won the race but not after incurring a small amount of collateral damage.
Organising a netting contractor proved more difficult than usual. Not because they were all busy applying nets but because they had’nt realised that things were going to get frantic, the birds would suddenly move in and that eveyone would be screaming for help all at once.
Weather condition became more consistant, consistantly hot that is and hence the sivereyes (Zosterops lateralis) and the 28 parrot (Barnadius zonarius semitorquatus)moved in. In a couple of days the Viognier sustained a reasonable amount of damage on the two or three vines at the ends of the rows closest to the trees.
In the narrow row part of the vineyard up to four rows at a time were covered which is effecient use of the nets.
They all had to be clipped down to the irrigation wire otherwise on windy days you find that the nets either blow over a row completely or just creep up - thereby allowing the birds access to the fruit.
Over the past 10 days we have experienced a typical “heat wave” with maximum temperatures mostly between 34 - 38C and night temps hovering around 20C. This has meant that the birds have become extremely hungry/desicated as there is absolutely no tree blossom on the native Red Gum or Marri (Eucalyptus callophylla).
Normally at this time of the year trees such as these would be in full blossom providing birds with their preferred food source. My observations are that the trees have not sprouted very much new growth at this point in time and those that have are extremely late. It is from this new growth that flower buds form, ultimately producing a great supply of nectar for the birds. All adds up to a very bad bird year!
To take this further these conditions will translate into a very low honey producing season as well, particularly of the very attractive and light Red Gum honey.
Still 4 - 5 weeks to harvest so extreme vigilance will be required.
Vineman
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