BIG BIRD SAVES VINEYARDS BIG BUCKS

Vineyards often lose thousands of dollars worth of grapes each year due to bird foraging, but a team of researchers supports a clever solution to the ongoing problem: Bring in a bigger bird.
The presence of a single falcon can “potentially result in savings of $234/ha for the Sauvignon Blanc variety of grapes and $326/ha for Pinot Noir variety of grapes,” wrote Sara Kross and her team in the journalConservation Biology.
NEWS: How Wine Production Pollutes
For the study, Kross and colleagues Jason Tylianakis and Ximena Nelson, all from the University of Canterbury’s School of Biological Sciences, examined whether introduction to vineyards of the New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae), a species listed as threatened by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, affected the abundance of four species of passerine birds (blackbirds, song thrushes, starlings and silvereyes) that are considered to be vineyard pests or affected the amount of economic loss due to grape damage.
Blackbirds, song thrushes and starlings all eat whole grapes and even entire bunches. Silvereyes poke holes out of grapes. It’s hard to blame these birds. They’re hungry and near row after row of delicious, tempting and colorful fruit. What bird could possibly resist such an eye-catching banquet?
The answer is a bird that serves as prey for falcons.
In some cases, the avian foragers were simply scared away, and for good reason. The falcons likely ate some of the other birds, the researchers suspect. That’s something a lifeless scarecrow could never achieve.
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Kross and her team report that “the introduction of falcons to vineyards was associated with a significant decrease in the abundance of introduced passerines and with a 95 percent reduction in the number of grapes removed relative to vineyards without falcons.
Falcon presence was not associated with a change in the number of silvereyes, but there was a 55 percent reduction in the number of grapes pecked in vineyards with falcons.”
Falcon patrols are already being used worldwide. For example, check out how falcons are guarding one Sonoma County, CA, vineyard. These trained birds of prey are doing what nature intended. As such, they are preventing vineyards from using pesticides and other less desirable “pest” prevention methods.
So the next time you raise a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, or other wine, consider toasting to falcons, who could have helped to save the grapes used to make your vino.
Source:
http://news.discovery.com/animals/big-bird-vineyards-111107.html

Manila families with small children looking for an accessible place for kids to have fun frequently visit private resort in Clark Pampanga to unwind relax in family bonding, top venue for reunion.

Some hotels and resorts offer free WIFI Internet connection to guests. This includes beach resort of Clearwater which also offers free Internet connection in the room as well as in the outdoor areas even near the beach and by the lake.

Fine dining restaurants like Yats Restaurants and Wine Bar also offers good internet connection to their guests. Highly recommended bar, pub and nightlife spot The London Pub located inside Mimosa also offers good internet connection to guests.

The London Pub is a classic English Gastropub frequented by local expats and business community. It serves up good food, plenty of excellent vintage wine by the glass and a good selection of Cuban cigars. The ambience is old English, dark wood, comfortable and relaxed.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasion

You might want to check also the Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

Famous Restaurant in Pampanga, a place to dine with friends in Clark, cozy restaurant with a nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasions. Yats Restaurant is one of the good restaurants in Pampanga, a restaurant with good food, a place that is nice for celebration, ideal for business dinner meeting, a good place to enjoy family reunion, and an attractive restaurant that serves good wines for dinner.

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila.

Frequent travelers and visitors staying in Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines look for restaurants, coffee shops, bars, pubs, hotels and resorts in Clark that serve high quality Nespresso coffee to guests. Here are some of the highly recommended places in Clark that offer good gourmet Nespresso coffee.

Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

This web site contains articles and information that will be helpful to visitors, residents and tourists traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Subic, Angeles City, Pampanga and Clark Philippines. There are several web sites that contain information that might also be pertinent to what is happening in North Luzon, Subic, Tarlac, Pampanga, Clark Freeport Philippines.

Looking for a party venue in town?
Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the ideal venues for birthday party because it is a risk free venue. Not only Birthday Parties but also a good place to enjoy family reunion. A good place to celebrate special occasions. Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the resorts in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga or near Manila with activity amenities, place that are nice for celebration.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

Yats International Leisure Philippines

For assistance with lodgings, accommodations, hotels and resorts near Manila in Subic, Pampanga, Angels City and Clark Philippines log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com