July 12 2008

7:00 am

Grower monitoring field. Shot off 4-5 "screamers". Grower remaining in the field until around 11:30 am, patroling on a motorbike.

1:00 pm

I went over to the field, no one there.

Observed 1 finch and 1 robin, both at the north end of the field. No Starlings.

3:00 pm

Observation: no Starlings in field and no sign or activity by them in my area. Saw a Rough-legged hawk entering a cell phone tower 1 mile to the south, a nest was built and used to raise offspring last year.

Reflection: With the diminished presence of Starlings, I am wondering if the number of hawks around are indeed having an impact?

Observation: a lot of Barn swallows were active over the blueberries and adjacent fields, seeing more in or near the fields than last few years.

7:30 pm

Observed, a flock of approx. 40 Starlings flying east to west high and north of the field, into my woods. JK's flying, but wind diminishing.

Reflection: I have decided not to deploy the HK's anymore, not until the presence and pressure by Starlings mounts.

Grower applied fungicide applied in evening.

CS

REMEMBER: The villain is the Starling. It is not the grower.