EVEN MORE IMPORTANT!

Hello
All of the cattle have now been removed from Caesar's Camp. This is a seasonal thing that we were expecting, but weren't quite sure when it was going to happen, so sorry for the lack of notice.
They should be back in a week or so. We will let you know when we know.
Thanks for your patience and assistance.
Alex

IMPORTANT

Hello
We spoke to the farmer yesterday and he has told us that he will be taking all the cattle off either today or tomorrow. This is to allow him to check them, wean the calves and make sure they are fit and healthy for the winter.
I will keep you posted with any updates we get from him.
Thanks for all your hard work.
Alex

Scattered Shower

Saw a total of 34 during my site visit today. 14 down by the Pavillion entrace/Concrete Road about 13.00 quietly cudding,and the rest around on the slope behind the covered reservoir moving and grazing as they they went. All looked reasonably well.

09.00, i only managed a count of 30 today, they were grazing around the covered reservoir at H16-17, and all looked o/k.

Taking the Beef off the Heath

Hi
I'll be leading a walk at Caesar's Camp this weekend talking about our plans to promote beef from the cattle involved in the Grazing Project.

Please see our website for more details and how to book a place.

http://www.hwt.org.uk/events.php/477/taking-the-beef-off-the-heath

Laura

phone call from concerned walker

Hello
I received a phone call on Sunday morning from a concerned member of the public. He was worried that one of the cattle had escaped. He saw it at Q25, between Bricksbury Hill and The Cresent.
I went out to have a look, but could not find any cattle out of the fence. I confirmed the location with the caller.
I suspect that he was mistaken because the fence is difficult to see in this area (covered with bracken) and it is an unusual place to see them.
However, if you do walk in this area, please keep an eye out and get in touch if you see anything unusual!

Many thanks
Alex

About 10 am.  16 head in & around Horse Pond; 18 or thereabouts in middle of old rifle ranges north of Jubilee Clump.  All looked fine.  I supposed the remainder to be at the western end but did not get that far.

A fine morning and the place is a delight compared to that which existed before the clearance.  It is a pity that the scars of the old rifle butts and the many, I think unnecessary, vehicle tracks, still exist.

I met cattle today 8.30 am, spread over a wide area between the track leading to where the dead cow was found and the track at the cattle grid on the track leading to the covered reservoir there were 29 there I got close to about half of them those all looked ok on my return home I met three more on the track at long bottom I was very close to these all looked ok ,on reaching the gate to go off site I met seven more , these I was very close to ,one calf a light brown and white one came up to me and sniffed my hand I stayed talking to these until the calf moved on .norman.

09.45, i managed a count of 40 spread out North of long bottom track at R16 down to Q19, all were grazing and looked o/k if a little wet. i cycled down to the blue barrel up to Caesars camp, over to the whale tail but could see no others.

my first sighting since coming back from holiday ,I found 26 spread over a wide area at caesars camp, I got close to most of these all appeared to be ok ,on my way home I saw two more on the track at long bottom one was collar she was coming back from the barrel the other was going towards the barrel ,on reaching the top of the hill by the broken concrete building ,I met two more grazing along the fence line both looked ok. norman

Midday; counted over 70 (some double counting no doubt) spread over a large area from top of Long Bottom to point some 1/3 mile to west.  Apart from lack of condition noted earlier no specific problems observed.

Saturday 17th, Jills lookering

Found about 60 in much the same area as Bob this afternoon. They were very widely dispersed and most were busy grazing. 145 seemed in very uncomfortable and struggled to get up on three legs - she didn't seem to want to put her foot anywhere near the ground. Her calf has become very defensive and keeps close by. A couple of calves (1533 and 1535) each ahd a sore, closed and weepy eye. Others seemed ok.

16.00, thanks to Steve I managed to find 65 spread out from the old pits of the whale tail through the woods up to the water tower. most were grazing and looked o/k, i did notice 145 is still having problems with her leg

Which end shall we park...

We were very glad to have chosen the Beacon Hill end to park the car this morning. The first cow was waiting for us just behind the cattle grid, with the rest (at least 60 counted) spread out from here to ~S5 in the old pits. Chances are that the others were in the woods as we spotted three calves on the edge. They all appeared well.

Most cattle found today

I counted 60 cattle today in 4 scattered groups in the Long Bottom and Horse Pond area. All ssemed happy and were either cudding or grazing.

11.00, today i was short for time and only managed a sweep of the whale tail and down to caesars camp,i did manage to find ten on top of caesars camp all grazing and looked o/k.

Thin cattle

Hi. Thought you'd like to know that I spoke with the farmer who owns the cattle today after letting him know some of our concerns about the skinny cows. He is aware of the situation and said that this is not just unique to those at Caesar's Camp as its been such a dry summer even those on the farm are losing a bit of condition too. He thinks the calves will be weaned (removed from their mothers) some time over the next couple of weeks so we may be seeing some changes to stock numbers soon. We will, of course, keep you posted.
Thanks for all your comments. Laura

13.00, i managed a count of 53 spread out from the South side of the gravel pit on caesars camp at N19 to the North side at M17, all were grazing and looked o/k, the cow with the limp was also there and managed to scrabble up the bank to join the others.

10 AM, a fine morning.  Cattle evidently very much dispersed.  I saw 6 from Jubilee Clump down below and about 400 yards north of that point and another 11 in Long Bottom about 200 yards south of the Horse Pond.

Jill's blog Sun 11th Oct

I popped up again this afternoon as I was out that way. Found groups of 11, 7 and 39 around the blue barrel. The two which were yesterday at R11 were with the main group. I didn’t see 145

Jill

Jill's blog Sat 10th Oct

There were over 57 in quite a large area around K/L 17/18. The group included 145 who was gingerly putting her hoof on the softer ground and 1527 (I think!) who might be the calf who comes up to Norman as he came really close and seemed to enjoy having his head and neck rubbed.

There were also 5 at R5, a further 5 at R 11 and two (a cream and pale brown cow and her calf) at T11. I couldn’t read the cow’s number as her hair covered the tag and the calf was 1490. The calf’s feet were caught in a long piece of red and white tape and various bits of vegetation (which I unravelled) and the cow seemed ok and was eating birch saplings and fungi.


Overall they all seemed placid and content, though flies were bothering quite a few of the cows and calves.

Jill

Bony

Saw the same group of 53 as Bob spread out over R14-15. All looked well although some of the black and white ones are looking a bit bony. 109 looked particularly bony.

09.00, i managed a count of roughly 50 at R14-15, most were grazing and looked o/k, i did see a pale brown cow with white patches with the others, i don,t know if it is the same one as mentioned but she looked o/k, went down long bottom track and up to Caesars camp and the whale tail, but could see no others.

Hello
I was up on site this afternoon (2pm) following a report of concern about one of the cattle. One of the lookers was concerned that a pale, nearly white, cow and her calf were separate from the rest of the herd and were sitting down by themselves in Long Bottom (R17/18).
I went to have a look, but they had moved, and the only pale cow in the area seemed to be fine.
May I ask to keep an eye out for her. She is probably okay because she has certainly moved from where she was, but she may now be ill elsewhere.
The other 40 or so that I saw all looked fine.
Many thanks

08.30, today i managed to count 16 around the blue barrel and about 46 spread out at roughly F27 across to K29, all were grazing and looked o/k.

08.30, i eventually managed to find about 21 near the blue barrel all looking sorry for themselves in the rain but otherwise in good condition, another group of about 46 was crazing near the sandy area at roughly H27-I30 those i saw looked o/k.

Site checks

I was on site after Ivan today and yes, the site is shrouded in drizzly mist, quite nice in a wet and dull sort of way!
I found 18 cattle by the blue barrel, including 145, and I agree her foot is certainly bothering her and restricting her a bit. The farmer is aware but I will contact him again to find out if he has treated her or has plans to remove her. I then found 5 more in square I28, lying down looking like they were pretending it wasn't raining. Then moved on and found 27 either lying down under trees or out grazing at J26 and J25. Then up to the camp and spotted a lone cow down near the covered resevoir so drove down and found 8 in H17, then 2 in H19 all eating happily, then from one of the higher ridges I saw (or heard actually) 1 single cow running across the sandy area in H20 shouting her head off, obviously doing as I was and trying to find the others!
At that point I left site - I don't envy you lookers trying to find them all in one go on foot or bike!

Laura

About 11 AM very wet & with poor visibility.  Some 20 around Horse Pond: the remainder hidden in the mists somewhere.  Those seen did not seem to be impressed by the weather but otherwise ok.

10.30ish,today they were spread far and wide, the first group i came across were in the whale tail, i counted 20 at roughly R5. the next group of about 25 were spread out between Q18 and O21.the third and final group of 20 were near the covered reservoir at about J17 to H19. There was a mix of grazing cows and some lying down chewing the cud. Those i could get close to looked o/k.

this morning 7 15 there were five cattle at the barrel ,three others coming from the pavillion end I went to the eastern end of the pond and waited ,others were coming from the pavillion end in groups of two three and four ,as I waited a total of 41 came by me some went to the pond to drink first, others went to the barrel first ,145 was among them I think she is getting worse she will not put her foot down on stony surfaces ,I was very close to most of these ,all looked ok except for 145 ,this will be my last post for two weeks I decided at the last moment to go off in my caravan . norman

I first saw cattle today 7.30 only eight at grid o 22 ,the black calf that comes up to me was not so brave only came to within one mtr ,these looked ok ,I carried on walking trying to find more I waited at the barrel and the eight I had already seen came to the barrel ,as I watched them others came from the pavillion end ,went to the pond to drink then on to the barrel ,only four in number I went on round the pond and started home ,others were coming from the broken troop shelter ,and more coming from the west of the pond I counted 24 in total did not get close to any of these . norman