Vineyard pests usually are thought of as bothersome little insects—e.g., mites and leafhoppers— that adversely affect the productivity of grapevines. But wildlife can also be a major problem, including our fine feathered friends.
Our Carneros vineyards, in particular, have been victim over the years to extensive aerial grape theft by starlings and finches. The methods used in years past by vineyard owners to deter birds—netting, cannon blasts, and shiny strips of plastic tape called Mylar—are largely ineffective against them. So, for several years, we have employed a more natural method of bird control, one that might be called “fighting feather with feather.”
As the grapes in our Carneros vineyards approach ripeness and the starlings and finches begin their divebombing runs, we call in falconer Rebecca Rosen of Falcon Environmental Services an experienced hand in this line of work. Starting in mid- August and continuing until the grapes are harvested, Rebecca and her falcon patrol our vineyards. When she spots bird activity – which peaks during the two hours after sunrise and the two before sunset—she unleashes what she calls the “shark effect.”
“Once the birds see the falcon, they clear out,” Rebecca says. “After a while, they begin clearing out as soon as they see my truck.” On the other hand, Rebecca says, the birds are smart and learn the predator’s schedule, forcing her to make unscheduled visits to keep them off balance.
“Starlings travel long distances and are very intelligent, which makes them easier to train,” Rebecca observes. “The
finches are local and live in trees surrounding the vineyards, so they’re more difficult to manage and require constant maintenance. My job is to teach them that they’re expending more energy trying to survive than they are foraging.”
Rebecca is among the bird control practitioners who disdain old-fashioned deterrence methods like netting, which is laborious and can result in birds getting stuck and dying.
“People spend a lot of time and energy simulating the results you get by using a predator,” Rebecca sums up. “So, why not use a predator?” And we agree, the natural order is the best solution for our sustainable values.
Many of you have visited Cakebread Cellars on more than one occasion and know what a wonderful job our Visitor Center staff does in creating a warm, welcoming environment and memorable winery experiences. You may be less aware, however, of our behind-the-scenes heroes: the half-dozen members of our Guest & Member Services (GMS) team.
These well-trained, dedicated folks (most have been with us for years) form a cohesive team skilled in helping customers get the information they need. Responding to thousands of phone calls and emails monthly, they answer any and all questions; facilitate wine purchases; help resolve logistical issues regarding wine shipments; advise on the optimal time to drink our wines;
and schedule tours and tastings, among many other things.
Whenever you would like to visit us or need help with a question, please contact our Guest & Member Service team (800) 588-0298 or email us at cellars@cakebread.com. Our staff is ready to answer your phone calls, and receive your emails, Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST. During these hours, if you get a recorded message, it means everyone’s busy helping other customers, kindly leave a message and someone will call you back within a half-hour. When you email us,you’ll hear back from us within 4 hours.
On Sunday, you can still make appointments for the Visitor Center, simply please leave a message if you receive a recorded greeting, we will call you back within a half hour. If your call on Sunday is pertaining to anything else besides a Visitor Center appointment for Sunday or Monday, your call will be returned
Monday. Lastly, please visit our website at www.cakebread.com for information about our Visitor Center offerings, just click on the “Tours & Tastings.”
By the way, if you’re not already on our mailing list, we’d love to have you sign up to receive our Recipe of the Month and other e-news such as shipping special
promotions and upcoming vintner dinner events. It only takes a minute at at our website www.cakebread. com and go to the “Recipe of the Month Sign- Up” to join our mailing list.
