Have you also been hearing explosion-like noises in Perl for the past few days?

For the past few days, residents in and around Perl have repeatedly been hearing loud bangs coming from the vineyards. The noises can certainly sound like gunshots and cause a moment of alarm.

But what is behind them?

The noises are probably coming from so-called bird-scaring cannons. These devices are used by winegrowers to keep birds and other animals away from the vines and protect the grapes from damage.

Especially at this time of year, when the grapes are ripening and the harvest is approaching, winegrowers try to protect their crop as well as they can.

For residents, the regular bangs can of course be surprising. So if you hear them in the vineyards around Perl at the moment, there's no need to assume they are gunshots.

In short: what sounds like gunshots may simply be protecting the grapes in the vineyards.

Radio Tripoint – your local voice in the Three Borders.