This fascinating documentary, Invasion of the Parakeets, was screened on Channel 4 on 8th June featuring High Clandon Vineyard and an interview with co-owner, Sibylla Tindale about their humane way of dealing with these beautiful invaders in the vineyard.
The clip featuring High Clandon is a good science story with a sustainability angle…how they saw off the Parakeets with their ‘Jurassic Park’-style bird scarer emitting horrible sounds of birds of prey in attack mode and the answering shrieks of fear and death by their prey. This cacophony terrified the parakeets and sent them off to whence they came (Richmond Park?) …lots of nice footage on trees and High Clandon’s cuvée, grapes at harvest with the owners, and ends with Sibylla performing a sabrage!
Parakeets according to Chris Packham are the second-most-disliked wildlife in England after the grey squirrel. He examines what they are purported to have done to have this reputation and also looks at how they became such a great presence in England.
High Clandon is one of the founding members of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain – SWGB and of Vineyards of the Surrey Hills.
