Thursday 31st July - All 25 seen

From 3pm until 6:30pm

I found them in 2 main groups the first I checked were over to the west near Gelvert, 17 including the 7 Sussex Reds. 
The other group of 8 had been over by the Pavilion and had started to move west along the path towards the pond, Brie was looking well and moving along eating from trees and hedges.

 

I observed some amorous behaviour and then loud mooing from in the bushes, these two here

Thursday 31st - Staff Check

 Cows were playing very hard to get, spread out in about 4 or 5 different groups, from the track to the reservoir in Gelvert, to the water tower, and then another group taking shelter in the trees by the sand pit. All 25 looked well

Wednesday 30th July - All 25 seen

At 17:15 this afternoon, the seven Sussex cattle, along with steers 21, 219, 220, and 270, were grazing west of James Bond Pond, near ///rots.verb.play. Most were enjoying a mix of fresh grass and leaves from the trees and bushes as they slowly moved southwest. Steer 1640 was keen to show off his climbing skills, reaching for leaves along the edge of the large mound in the centre of the area.

The group was being heavily bothered by flies, especially around their faces, shoulders, and backs. Although they tried to shake them off—by tossing their heads or deliberately walking through the thicket—the flies quickly returned. Despite the irritation, most were friendly and came over to say hello, standing close in the hope I'd help keep the flies at bay.

As I was leaving, most of the Sussex cattle had moved into the dense thicket to the southwest, continuing to graze under the shelter of the trees and bushes. All eleven were content, relaxed, and in good condition.

By 18:00, the remaining fourteen cattle had gathered near ///wheat.sneezing.zest, much further west. A few were still grazing among the trees to the east, but soon joined the main group. Not long after, they all moved northwest to graze near ///plug.thus.passively. It was a wise choice, with the area being much cooler and having fewer flies, thanks to the sun setting behind the tall trees near Beacon Hill Road.

They settled in happily, grazing on grass, heather, and silver birch leaves. Most came over to say hello, with several enjoying strokes and rubs. Youngster 222 was especially affectionate, leaning in for a long neck and shoulder rub and offering gentle head rubs in return.

All fourteen were happy, relaxed, and looking well. When I said my goodbyes at 18:50, they had spread out into smaller groups, still grazing contentedly.

The cows were all good today.

Tuesday 29th July - All 25 seen

At 16.10 this afternoon, steers 21, 220, and 270 were contentedly grazing in the thicket near ///behave.rely.additives, close to Bourley Road. They were happily browsing on tree leaves and the long grass growing among the bracken, which also helped keep the many flies off their faces. All three were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 16:35, cows 214 and 234, along with steers 30 and 35, were grazing near ///campus.lyrics.river. They were enjoying plenty of fresh grass in the warm sunshine. Youngsters 227 and 230 were grazing across the track in the pasture to the west. Both were very friendly, each coming over to say hello and enjoy a long back rub. By 16:55, they had wandered over to join the others, stopping for a drink from the puddles along the way. All six looked happy, healthy, and unbothered by the heavy army activity taking place to the west near Horse Pond.

At 17:25, steer 20 and cows 72 and 940 were resting among the trees and bushes northeast of James Bond Pond, near ///easy.dumps.melons. They stood peacefully, chewing their cud, completely unfazed by the ongoing gunfire and explosions from the military exercise in the pasture to the west. Cow 72 was particularly friendly, enjoying a long neck and back scratch and offering gentle head rubs in return. All three were relaxed, content, and looking well.

At 17:45, Sussex cow 1396 and steer 1626 were grazing near ///larger.ringers.blown, with steers 33 and 222 nearby. Youngster 222 was very affectionate, enjoying a long neck and shoulder rub and responding with gentle head rubs and licks. A little further east, youngsters 217 and 228, along with yearling 271, were grazing near ///angry.blunt.liquids. They had found a nice, cool spot with noticeably fewer flies and were happily munching on the fresh grass and heather. All seven were calm, content, and looking really well. 

Finally, at 18:20, I found the remaining five Sussex cattle and youngster 219 grazing on the grass along the side of the path near ///whistle.trespass.flats, close to Beacon Hill Road. They were being bothered by many flies, but still came over to say hello and stood close, happy to have the flies brushed off their faces and shoulders. Cow 211 was the only one able to reach the cattle grid, with the others held back by their collars. She was very friendly, happily grazing while enjoying some back scratches. 

By the time I said goodbye at 19:00, the group had moved through the bushes beside the path and was grazing in the heather near ///heat.monk.proved. All six were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

The cows were all good today.

Monday 28th July - All 25 seen

 Between 05:30 - 07:00

Early start this morning due to having to get back to meet the bathroom fitters.

All seen in 2 groups to the east of the horse pond. The first group 13 were near ///giving.headed.heave Which is to the east of the pond.

The second group of 12 including the Sussex’s were at ///salon.jelly.tamed.

All the cattle were good, enjoying the grass and the early morning sunshine. Unfortunately the flies had also got up early and were clearly causing a nuisance for the cattle.

Sunday 27th July - All 25 seen

After the calm and tranquillity of yesterday, today was a very different story!

At 09:45 this morning, the eighteen members of the Caesar’s original herd, along with Sussex cow 211 and steer 1640, were found in the woodland near ///this.cubes.eaten. They were right in the middle of a large military exercise, with army units positioned to the northeast, east (alongside the Sandy Bowl), and west, firing machine guns and occasionally deploying smoke canisters.

The noise and commotion caused the cattle to split into two groups. One crossed the track and headed into the trees to the north, while the other moved west into the open area near ///shine.merit.inner, where they surprisingly decided to stop and graze. Several came over for strokes and rubs, seemingly unfazed by what was going on around them.

Around 10:10, following some mooing between the groups, most of the herd regrouped on the path near ///august.jumps.lies. They then tried to head north towards the cowshed but were stopped by their collars, which triggered and startled them, causing them to run back into the woodland—almost to exactly where they started. After a short rest, they ventured west again, walking straight into the path of the soldiers.

As it became clear the exercise wasn't ending any time soon, I walked the cattle north through the bracken and thicket, then west, looping around the activity. By 10:50, we reached the pasture near ///dolly.smug.agreeing, where they paused to graze and drink from large puddles. By 11:00, we had arrived at the pasture to the northwest near ///lends.heap.scoots. The cattle spread out, grazing happily on the fresh grass as they slowly made their way west. They were all happy, relaxed, and looking well.

Amid the chaos, I hadn’t realised the other five Sussex cattle were already grazing nearby, in the pasture to the northwest near ///quiz.streak.slack. When cow 211 saw them, she began to moo, prompting them to come down the hillside to reunite. The five Sussexes looked happy and healthy but were being heavily bothered by flies. They came over one by one to say hello and were glad to stand close and have the flies brushed from their faces.

Soon after, the two groups merged and continued grazing contentedly on either side of the path.

I said my goodbyes at 11:45, leaving them all peacefully grazing and heading in the direction of Horse Pond.

The cows were all good today.