Monday 10th - Staff Check, 25 found

 The first group of 9 were found by James Bond Pond, all lying down chewing the cud. I came out as 20 had a Low Activity notification from his collar. He looked ok, alert and calm, but his activity looked consistently lower so may be worth keeping an eye on him.

Found the other 16 (including all the Sussexes!) east along the track from the water tower. They too were all lying down and looking very relaxed, some were even sleeping. I then took out a lick, at which point they all immediately jumped up and galloped over. 

The lick is at ///refer.movies.sulky so they may be here for the next day or so.

Monday 10th March - 19 seen

 Between 08:00 - 10:30

Found 19 this morning in 4 areas to the north and west of the Shell station.

///increment.daydreams.dressings. 020 271 270

///twice.traded.working. 033 035 230 and 220

///riddle.uproot.giraffes. 021 030

///makeup.laugh.create. 228 222 227 217 1640 234 219 214 072 and 940

With the exception of 1640, despite a good search of that part of Caesar’s I could not find the other 6 Sussex’s.

All the cattle were good this morning with 222 even more friendly than normal.

Sunday 8th March - All 25 seen

At 09:45 this morning, steers 35, 217, and 227 were grazing west of James Bond Pond, near ///grades.weary.shins. It was another foggy start to the day, with the fog especially thick around the pond. Youngster 227 was particularly friendly, enjoying a long neck and back rub while resting and chewing his cud. Youngster 230 was deep in the gorse to the southeast, but he soon wandered into a clearing to say hello and enjoy plenty of neck scratches. All four were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 10:45, cows 214 and 234, along with steer 270, were grazing in the thicket near ///huddle.jots.crib, northwest of the water tower. They all wandered over to greet me. After a short while, a moo from the main path caught my attention, and Sussex steer 210 soon appeared. After greeting me, he set off west, mooing frequently as he tried to locate his herd mates. I followed, with the other three trailing behind, and we reached the path by Odiham Road a short time later. I could hear other cattle in the bushes nearby, so I led the group back the way we had come and onto a track heading northwest. This eventually brought us to the other six Sussex cattle grazing deep in the gorse near ///fails.regal.single.

At 11:15, steers 20 and 30, along with cow 72, were resting further north near ///trifling.purple.ethic. Steers 21, 33, 219, and 220 were grazing contentedly to the northeast. All seven were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

By 11:30, the final four cattle were resting and chewing their cud further east near ///float.mailing.stub. Cow 940 and steers 222, 228, and 271 were especially friendly, each taking turns to enjoy long neck and back rubs. Whenever youngster 222 felt I had spent too long with one of his herd mates, he would step forward and give me a gentle head rub to reclaim my attention. All four were happy, healthy, and a pleasure to spend some quiet time with.

By 12:10, many of the cattle from the different groups had begun to gather to rest near ///sonic.kicks.skunks, while a few continued grazing nearby. Youngster 219 and most of the Sussex cattle had begun to lie down among the heather further west near ///herring.stall.stance. The final two, steer 197 and cow 211, joined them about ten minutes later.

After giving cow 72 an extra-long back rub, I said my goodbyes shortly before 13:00. As I was walking east, I met cow 940 wandering down to the path to join the main group. The boys were still browsing gorse close to where I had found them earlier.

As I was leaving, steer 230 was lying beside the path near ///clef.period.commented, with steer 227 resting nearby. Steers 35 and 217 were grazing in the pasture to the west.

The cows were all good today.

Saturday 7th March - All 25 seen

At 09:10 this morning, cows 72, 214, and 234, along with steers 217, 222, and 230, were resting on the hillside near ///poster.races.flips, southwest of the nursery. A thick fog covered the site. They were all very friendly, accepting plenty of strokes and rubs. Youngsters 222 and 228 were initially lying down, but soon got up to enjoy neck and back scratches. Steers 30, 219, 220, and 230 were contentedly browsing on gorse on the far side of the path to the west. They, too, were friendly, stopping to say hello and be checked. All ten were happy, relaxed, and looking well. I said my goodbyes at 10:30, leaving most of them lying down, resting and chewing their cud.

At 10:45, Sussex cows 211, 212, and 1396, along with steer 210, were grazing on grass on the hillside near ///fixed.shifts.directive, south of James Bond Pond. Within ten minutes of finding them, they had climbed onto the higher ground to the west, where they were joined by cow 940 and steers 270, 271, and 1626. After greeting me, they began grazing on gorse and heather. All eight were happy and healthy.

By 11:25, the final seven steers, including Sussexes 197 and 1640, were spread out grazing among the gorse near ///attic.bossy.ranks, south of the pond. They each moved into small clearings in the bushes to say hello and be checked. All were happy, content, and in good condition.

By 12:15, many of the cattle from the two groups had begun to gather in the pasture near ///clicker.cared.crop. Several were resting and chewing their cud, while others grazed among the heather, with the Sussex cattle preferring the gorse to the southeast. Sussex steers 197 and 1640 continued grazing on the far side of the path.

As I was leaving at 13:00, I stopped to check on the first group again. Youngster 222 and cow 234 were browsing gorse, while the others were lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud. Cow 72 enjoyed an extra-long neck and back rub before I said my goodbyes fifteen minutes later.

The cows were all good today.