Thursday 13th August - Staff Check - All 25 seen

10.40am 

SH 20 

SH 35 

SH 33 

Standing in James Bond Pond cooling their feet 

Other side of pond we have 

SUS 211 (no collar) 

SUS 1396 

BW 234 

SH 222 

SH 220

SH 21 

SUS 1640 

SH 217 

SH 228 

SH219

BW 227 

SH 271 

SH 270 

SH - couldn't see ear tag too deep in pond 

BRIE 

SUS 1626

SH 72 - 

SUS 210

SUS 197

SUS 212 

BW 214 

SH 30

All 25 seen. In excellent health. No issues to report. Purple spray applied to 1640 wound as a precaution,  but it is mostly  healed and looking ok, no signs of infection. 

Cheers

Wednesday 12th August - All 25 seen

At 16:55 this afternoon, a mixed group of seventeen cattle were resting around 350 metres southwest of James Bond Pond, near ///slurred.topics.vast. Cows 214, 212, and 940, along with steers 197, 219, 227, 228, and 1626, were resting in the shade of a row of tall bushes, which did a fantastic job of shielding them from the sun. Cows 72, 234, and 1396, along with steers 21, 217, 222, 210, and 1640, were under the bushes to the east. Despite the intense heat, they were all happy to be approached for their checks, with most enjoying plenty of strokes and rubs. After a while, some of those in the bushes wandered out and settled down beside the cattle resting in the open. At various points, several stood up and came over for back rubs. It never ceases to amaze me that, even in this heat, certain members of the group still can't resist a good back scratch!

I realised I hadn't seen cow 211 and thought it odd that she hadn't come over to say hello. So, I went through the bushes to look for her and found her happily grazing on her own to the northeast. She immediately came over to greet me, enjoying a long head and neck rub and returning the affection with lovely head rubs and licks.

I also noticed that steer 1640's wound appeared to have opened up slightly again and was attracting many flies. He was happy for me to check it and give it a gentle clean, before I placed a large piece of bracken over the area to provide some protection from the flies.

Steers 220, 230, 270, and 271 had been grazing in the woodland further southwest, but all came over to join the main group at 17:25. They quickly settled down to relax and chew their cud. I said my goodbyes at 18:00, leaving them all peacefully resting.

At 18:15, older steer 35 was grazing deep among the bracken beneath the Lookout, near ///club.raven.speech. He looked happy enough from the higher ground, but I decided to go and say hello and give him a check. He seemed pleased to see a familiar face and came over to stand beside me for a while. Although he appeared perfectly content, I was slightly concerned that he had been on his own since I first arrived, so I decided to walk him down to Horse Pond, where the remaining three cattle were located.

He moved far more easily through the dense bracken and gorse than I did, but soon emerged onto the path, and we wandered down the hillside together. He stopped at the pond for a long, refreshing drink before we continued on to join the others.

By 18:40, steers 20, 30, and 33 had moved out of the woodland west of Horse Pond and were happily grazing at the bottom of the slope near ///audit.flask.asset. Steer 35 followed me along and joined them, and all four continued grazing in the cooling conditions. I stayed with them until just after 19:00, when I said my goodbyes, leaving them all peacefully grazing together.

Caesar's Camp was incredibly busy this evening, with people streaming in from all directions to watch the solar eclipse from various vantage points. The Lookout and the surrounding area, all the way along to ///inhaler.bother.cries, were especially popular. Steer 35 attracted quite a bit of attention as we walked down to Horse Pond, but he remained completely calm and seemed happy just to follow me.

The cattle were all good today.

Tuesday 11th August - All 25 seen

At 17:15 this afternoon, Sussex cows 211 and 1396, along with steers 197, 210, and 1640, were lying on the sandy area at the southwest corner of James Bond Pond, peacefully relaxing and chewing their cud. Cow 212 and steer 1626 were grazing among the bushes to the northwest, while older steer 35 was grazing in the shade of the gorse bushes to the south. Youngster 219 was standing with his feet in the water among the small trees nearby. They were all happy to be approached for their checks, with most enjoying plenty of strokes and scratches. Cow 211 was especially affectionate, getting up for a long back scratch before rewarding me with plenty of head rubs and licks. After a while, youngster 219 waded through the mud to come over and say hello, before leaning in for a long neck and shoulder rub. All nine were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 17:45, steers 20, 21, 30, 33, 217, 222, 227, 228, and 230 were resting beneath the trees to the east of James Bond Pond. Steers 20 and 21 had only recently got up, while the others were gradually following suit before drifting north to graze. The boys were all very friendly, enjoying plenty of strokes and rubs as I checked on them. They were being bothered by flies around their eyes and noses, but were happy to have them brushed away. By 18:00, they had all made their way into the pastures to the north to graze, enjoying plenty of heather and leaves from the bushes. Youngster 222 soon wandered over for more attention, thoroughly enjoying a long back scratch as he grazed. All nine were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

Finally, at 18:25, the final seven cattle had found a lovely cool spot in the shade of some trees at the bottom of Sandy Hill, near ///loose.curving.hazel. A gentle breeze was helping to keep them cool as they relaxed and chewed their cud. Cow 234 was the first to get up and come over for a neck and back scratch, with cow 72 taking her turn a little later. Youngster 271 enjoyed having the sides of his neck stroked before rolling fully onto his side for a belly scratch. By 19:00, they had all got up and crossed the path into the pasture to the north to graze in the cooling conditions. Cow 940 took a break and came over for another long neck rub before returning to her grazing. I said my goodbyes at 19:15, leaving them all peacefully grazing and gradually moving east towards Horse Pond. 

The cattle were all good today.

Monday 10th August - All 25 seen

 Between 06:00 - 08:30

All seen in 3 location 

///pancake.line.observers this first group were on the path adjacent to Sandy Hill Road and in amongst the heather on slope leading from the path towards Long Bottom. 222 was very friendly this morning with 021 enjoying some apples that had fallen from the tree.

///deal.prepare.talkative the second group found this morning were up at the lookout, Brie and Sarah were with this group, all were eating what ever they could find. When I left them they were starting to head towards Horse Pond.

///offstage.exulted.bound final group was the all the Sussex’s. They were in the bracken between the main path and the fenced off area. All were good with 210 being the friendliest of the gang this morning. 

All the cattle were good this morning.

Sunday 9th August - All 25 seen

At 09:00 this morning, cows 72 and 234 were standing and chewing their cud at the western end of Sandy Hill near ///backs.orders.available. Youngster 219 was grazing a little further west, while youngster 220 was browsing on leaves in the woodland nearby. A short while later, steers 35 and 271 came wandering along from the east. Steer 35 found a nice spot in the shade by the fence line, while youngster 271 grazed around the girls. They were all very friendly when I checked on them, with most enjoying plenty of strokes. Youngster 219 lined up for a long, relaxing back scratch, thanking me with plenty of licks afterwards. By 09:30, I headed down to Longbottom to find steers 20, 217, and 270 grazing deep in the thicket to the north. They gradually drifted west before emerging onto the path to say hello. After checking on the boys, I headed back to the first group to find steers 219 and 271 lying down, resting with the girls standing alongside. All nine were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 10:00, cows 214 and 940 were grazing in the thicket on Hungry Hill, near ///apply.amuses.coil. Cow 940 was thoroughly enjoying the leaves from the trees and wasn't shy about breaking off branches to reach the tastiest leaves. Both girls took a break from grazing to enjoy neck and back scratches. They were both happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 10:30, cows 211, 212, and 1396, along with steers 197, 210, and 1640, were resting at the southeast corner of Horse Pond, with most settled beneath the shade of the trees on the sand. They were all very friendly, accepting plenty of strokes and rubs as I moved around them. Cow 211 soon got up and wandered over for a neck and back scratch before settling back down at my feet. After a good while, steer 1640 got up and wandered over for some extra strokes before crossing the path and starting to graze in the woodland to the east. His wound was looking better again today as it continues to heal. All six were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

Finally, at 11:05, the remaining eight steers were resting in the woodland northwest of Horse Pond, near ///hazel.lied.aliens. Sussex steer 1626 was sitting a little further northeast than the others, but could still see them and was content chewing his cud. Steers 21, 30, 33, 222, 227, and 228 were spread out beneath the trees, all relaxing and chewing their cud, while youngster 230 was nestled in some bracken close by. Youngster 222 soon got up for an extended neck and back scratch, thoroughly enjoying the attention. The others were all resting peacefully, enjoying being out of the warm sunshine. After checking the others, youngster 222 returned for more attention, thanking me with plenty of head rubs and licks. Once he had settled back down at my feet, youngster 228 got up and came over to spend some time with me. I said my goodbyes at 12:10, leaving them all resting peacefully. All eight were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

The cattle were all good today.