Just lost my crop to birds!

[David Engel]

I can't believe it, I just can't frigging believe it. I was checking the Pinot vines this morning, everything was well. The wife just said there are birds in the back yard. Five out of six vines have ZERO grapes left on them. I'm so mad I could spit. I wasn't going to have enough to do anything with other than watch the maturity continue, see how high the Brix would get etc.. I guess next year the minute I have good veraison started, the netting goes up. I hate birds!

 

[meridaen]

Mate that’s so crap! I’m getting my first crop this year and I’m already worried about the birds! I’ll be taking your advice and getting those nets up asav.

 

[Bmd2k1]

I can't believe it, I just can't frigging believe it. I was checking the Pinot vines this morning, everything was well. The wife just said there are birds in the back yard. Five out of six vines have ZERO grapes left on them. I'm so mad I could spit. I wasn't going to have enough to do anything with other than watch the maturity continue, see how high the Brix would get etc.. I guess next year the minute I have good veraison started, the netting goes up. I hate birds!

Ugh. That sucks! Sorry dude. Pop something open and drown ur sorrows :-/

 

[wood1954]

Sorry for that. Damn birds!

 

[srcorndog]

I can't believe it, I just can't frigging believe it. I was checking the Pinot vines this morning, everything was well. The wife just said there are birds in the back yard. Five out of six vines have ZERO grapes left on them. I'm so mad I could spit. I wasn't going to have enough to do anything with other than watch the maturity continue, see how high the Brix would get etc.. I guess next year the minute I have good veraison started, the netting goes up. I hate birds!

welcome to the fun growing grapes starlings are a booger now when they find you every year in the future they will visit

 

[Garagista]

I’m so sorry, that really sucks!

 

[JustJoe]

Last year I lost my grapes to birds so this year I put netting up to protect them. This year raccoons (must have been a whole family of them) cleaned them out the night before I was going to pick them.

 

[David Engel]

Why do we do it???

 

[Snafflebit]

Oh crap. Once the color turns and the brix hits a point, it is like all the birds tell each other and the grapes can be gone in a couple of days. I assume it was starlings.

 

[Sage]

Had a crop hit too. Now I put up owl decoys at the very last minute. Too soon and they figure it out. Best placed as to be nearly hidden. I put mine into the edge of tree branches. 12 ga works too.

 

[Charlie Davis]

Last year I lost my grapes to birds so this year I put netting up to protect them. This year raccoons (must have been a whole family of them) cleaned them out the night before I was going to pick them.

I put a electric fence around my vineyard and it keeps the animals out. Works great.

 

[wineview]

Last year I lost my grapes to birds so this year I put netting up to protect them. This year raccoons (must have been a whole family of them) cleaned them out the night before I was going to pick them.

How much wine would that have been?

 

[Neb Farmer]

A Winchester 1200 might help keep those birds away.

 

[meridaen]

What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in unbirdability

 

[JustJoe]

How much wine would that have been?

I have only 5 vines. I can make just a 6 gallon batch each year from my own grapes.