After struggling to protect our precious grapes from their major predator, the ubiquitous Silvereye (aka White eye) we have purchased a secret weapon! Whereas nets have been largely successful in limiting damage, the little suckers, despite being labelled ‘arboreal’, manage to get inside the nets by crawling underneath! Undulating ground makes sealing this entrance difficult and the many birds that make it in make it their home until vintage. With the help of the staff from Kone Elevators Pty Ltd, we are purchasing used elevator cables, which we will lay on top of the nets at the sides and end of each block. These cables weigh in at about 1Kg/metre, which should prove to be more that the average Silvereye can lift! Once we keep the Silvereyes out, the feral cats will be less inclined to rip holes in the nets to get at their prey. Let’s hope that the season 12/13 will solve this perennial problem caused by this protected species who dose up on sugar to make their way to as far as northern NSW for the winter.