Saturday 3rd October – All 25 seen – Youngster 222 appears to have a sore left hip

At 09:30 this morning, steers 33, 230, and 270 were foraging for acorns north of the nursery, near ///shorts.gasp.rats. They were all very friendly, taking turns to come over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes. Unfortunately they couldn't be persuaded to stop and move on. Sussex steer 210 and cow 212 were grazing in the gorse bushes to the southeast but both wandered over to greet me. All five were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 10:00, steers 20, 217, 220, 228, and 271 were grazing peacefully among the gorse and heather on the hillside northeast of Horse Pond, near ///moves.noun.warp. Youngsters 228 and 271 both enjoyed long neck and back scratches before getting back to their grazing. By 10:20, youngster 220 settled down to rest among the heather. He was looking very comfortable and soon began to relax and chew his cud. All five were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

At 10:35, Sussex steer 1640 was lying down, relaxing and chewing his cud on the hillside northeast of Horse Pond, near ///earl.remote.rekindle. He was happy to be approached for his checks and enjoyed a neck scratch while resting. Sussex steer 1626 was grazing in the thicket at the bottom of the slope to his northeast. He was enjoying gorse and leaves from the silver birch trees, but stopped for a few head scratches.

By 10:50, older steers 30 and 35 were buried deep in the gorse bushes near ///sling.baffle.bluff, about 220 metres southwest of the Lookout. They both popped their heads through the bushes to say hello. Steer 227 was grazing in the gorse bushes about 55 metres further west, near ///buggy.bulb.name. He soon came out to join me on the path before enjoying plenty of neck and back scratches. All three were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 11:25, cows 214, 234, and 940, along with steers 21 and 222, were spread out grazing in the pasture on the hillside west of the Lookout. The girls all climbed up to join me on a flat area to the side of the path near ///sonic.hush.anode, where they enjoyed plenty of strokes and rubs. Youngster 222 patiently waited his turn before climbing up too, greeting me with the sweetest head rubs before leaning in for a long neck scratch. By 11:55, the group had climbed up the hill and gathered in the pasture to the south. They all enjoyed plenty more attention before settling down in the grass to rest and chew their cud.

Youngster 222 also went to lie down, but after a short while he attempted to get back up and struggled a bit. He seemed to have a bit of a sore left hip, and as he wandered back over to see me, he was a bit lame on his rear left leg. He was happy to just stand and enjoy more attention, loving having the sides of his neck and back scratched. Again, he thanked me with gentle head rubs. After a good while, he went to lie down again, but this time went a bit further and settled down in the bracken to the southeast. I will keep a careful eye on him in the coming days. I eventually said my goodbyes at 12:50, leaving all five resting peacefully.

At 12:55, Sussex steer 197 and cows 211 and 1396 were grazing in the swampy area under the Lookout, near ///blushes.dorms.spoils. All three waded through the mud to come over to say hello and enjoy plenty of attention. Cow 211 was especially friendly, offering plenty of licks after enjoying a long neck and shoulder rub. All three were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

All of this meant I'd missed cow 72 on my travels, so I had no option but to go back and retrace my steps. Sure enough, as the old saying goes, she was in the last place I looked! Youngster 222 and his group had moved under the trees at the Lookout. Of course, they all needed more strokes before I could leave and get on my way. Steers 30, 35, and 227 were all drinking at the northeast corner of James Bond Pond. Steers 1626 and 1640 were resting northwest of where I'd seen them earlier. The five steers were all gathered together, resting on the hillside close to where they were grazing earlier. Steers 210 and 230, along with cow 212, were resting in the bracken in the pasture northwest of the nursery. Finally, shortly before 14:00, I found cow 72 grazing in the pasture near ///card.booklets.frog, with steers 33 and 270 grazing nearby. She was very friendly and enjoyed plenty of fuss, but wouldn't tell me where she'd been hiding earlier! The good news was that she was happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

The cattle were all good today.

Wednesday 30th September - All 25 seen - Cattle foraging for acorns in woodland southeast of James Bond Pond

At 16:10 this afternoon, steers 197 and 219 were foraging for acorns under the oak trees near ///cabbies.cake.tower, southeast of James Bond Pond. Despite my best efforts to move them on, they just circled back around to continue eating them. I did manage to move a load of acorns away from the area they were searching, but I didn't have anything with me to collect the remaining acorns and remove them from site. Cows 211 and 1396, along with steer 1640, were grazing in the thicket to the west of the path but unfortunately joined the boys as I was leaving. Cow 211 was very friendly, enjoying a long neck rub before thanking me with plenty of licks. All five were happy, relaxed, and looking well. Despite not all the cattle currently having collars, would it be worth setting up a temporary NoFence boundary so they can't graze there?

At 16:35, a mixed group of seventeen cattle were resting in the warm sunshine near ///curries.shame.reset, southwest of the Lookout. Most were lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud. Cow 212 was the first to stand up and come over to say hello before enjoying a long back scratch. When we were done, youngsters 222 and 228 both took turns wandering over for neck and back rubs. By 16:55, the entire group were on their feet, with older steer 33 leading them to James Bond Pond for drinks. There were a few stragglers who stopped to enjoy some heather or leaves from silver birch trees along the way, but eventually, they all gathered at the northeast corner of the pond to drink. It's surprising just how empty the pond remains, with the cattle having to wade quite a distance through the mud to get to the water's edge.

After resting in the sunshine for a while, the cattle began to drift off into the pasture to the north of the pond to graze. Many of the group lingered for extra back scratches before crossing the path to graze. Steers 20, 21, 33, 30, 35, 210, 217, 220, 222, 227, 228, 230, 270, 271, and 1626, along with cows 72 and 212, were all happy, relaxed, and looking well. I said my goodbyes at 17:50, just as steers 227 and 228 moved into the pasture to join the others.

Shortly before 18:00, cows 214, 234, and 940 were peacefully grazing along the sides of the main path near ///asterisk.umpires.public, east of the hill up to the Lookout. All three were very friendly, stopping to greet me before leaning in for plenty of strokes and rubs. They thoroughly enjoyed the attention, with cow 234 clearly unimpressed that I stopped to go and spend some time with the others. The girls were looking gorgeous in the setting sun. All three were happy, relaxed, and in good condition. I said my goodbyes at 18:25, leaving them grazing peacefully.

As I was leaving at 18:30, the first group of five cattle were spread out grazing on the hillside southeast of Horse Pond, near ///bead.hires.deflate. I had been keeping an eye on them, and they didn't spend too much more time in the woodland after I left them. They then moved northeast into the pasture to graze in the sunshine, slowly tracking east towards the pond.

The cattle were all good today.

Tuesday 29th September - All 25 seen

At 17:00 this afternoon, steers 20, 33, 217, 227, 228, 230, and 271 were relaxing and chewing their cud near ///caller.ghost.tables, west of James Bond Pond, while older steer 21 was grazing nearby. As I was approaching, youngster 228 got up and wandered over to greet me, quickly leaning in for a neck and back scratch. The others were happy to be approached for their checks, with several also standing up for back scratches. As I said my goodbyes at 17:25, they all drifted off to graze. All eight were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 17:30, cow 72 was grazing contentedly among the trees and bushes further northwest near ///bravo.scoop.roost. She was very friendly and enjoyed having the sides of her neck scratched while standing close. In the pasture to the north, on the far side of the path, steers 30, 210, and 1626, along with cow 212, were browsing leaves and gorse. All five were relaxed and in good condition.

At 17:50, cows 214, 234, and 940 were grazing among the gorse and bramble near the main entrance to the Gelvert reserve. Further west, steers 197, 219, and 1640, along with cows 211 and 1396, were grazing along both sides of the main path, enjoying a mix of grass, gorse, and bramble. Cow 211 was especially friendly, greeting me with gentle head rubs before thanking me with licks after a long neck scratch. The group carried on west towards Beacon Hill Road, with the group of three girls following closely behind. All eight were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

Finally, at 18:15, youngster 270 emerged through the gorse bushes along the side of the path near ///fills.renamed.aviators. He was quick to say hello and enjoy plenty of attention. In the pasture to the east, steers 35, 220, and 222 were well spread out grazing. Youngster 222 spotted me coming and wandered over to meet me. He was happy to just stand for plenty of scratches, shifting around enthusiastically when I found a particularly itchy spot. He was ever so affectionate, offering the sweetest head rubs and even some licks. Steers 35 and 220 were happy to take a break from their grazing to stand and be checked.  I said my goodbyes at 18:50 as darkness was beginning to fall, leaving youngsters 220, 222, and 270 gathered near ///shred.tarred.cubed, with older steer 35 having wandered around the corner for a drink of water from the large pool.

The cattle were all good today.

Monday 28th September - All 25 seen

 Between 06:30 - 09:00

All seen in 3 groups this morning

///comet.spoke.later 020,940,072,270,230,271,220,234,214 and 228 were all at the eastern end of the sandy bowl. They were a mixture of lying down and a few had got to their feet stretching and starting to find their breakfast.

///wonderfully.slap.race 210,222,219,1640,212 and 197 were about 500 meters north of the first group in amongst the the gorse and brambles. After a bit of coaxing they did come out so that I could get a good look at them. 

///pass.twist.taxi 030,035,227,1626,033,021,1396,211 and 217 were alongside the upper path heading towards horse pond. They were all eating leaves and gorse when I saw them. 

All the cattle were good this morning.

A reminder that I will be on holiday for two weeks, back looking on Friday 16th