Bird scarers

Having moved from the tremors and agricultural noise of Seddon to what we thought was going to be the comparative quiet of Blenheim, I find myself having to write yet again about the use of gas guns being used outside the permitted hours.

One particular one has being going off at 6.40am and, of course, by the time it goes off again it is now within the allowed time frame, amongst all the other guns going off, so there is no point in trying to locate it. We then we get a final blast at 8.20pm just to let us know that it is still live, if not kicking.

It really would be appreciated if every vineyard owner or manager would check their machines and ensure that they comply with the bylaws – no use between the hours of 8pm and 7am. Better still, find an alternative method of bird control which your own industry has contributed to (a Massey study available online) where you can find cheaper and more effective methods. After all this just being a good neighbour.

Meantime I would urge anyone else having their sleep disrupted by these devices to make a submission to the Marlborough District Council about the misuse. I know there are others since there is a Facebook page on the subject receiving an increasing number of views.

So don’t keep it to yourself, contact MDC!