Thursday 5th October - All 19 seen - Steer 227 is on Gelvert and Cow 215 has a red patch on her front left arm pit

Eighteen cows were spread out from the pasture opposite their favourite Sandy Hill corner all the way along to Hungry Hill at 17:00 this afternoon. They were either standing relaxing and chewing their cud or happily grazing, with most topping up on grass. Youngsters 217 and 220 were back to hunting for acorns under the tree around ///payback.steepest.stir. The cows slowly came together around the tree, with more joining in the acorn foraging.

British White 215 has another red patch near her front left arm pit (photo below).  It looks like she's been bitten by a tick.  It wasn't causing her any issues and she was moving around fine.   She was very friendly this afternoon.

After a very long and fruitless search of Caesar's Camp hunting for Gypsy (steer 227), I finally found him in Gelvert at 18:45.  I managed to get him to the gate at ///claw.installs.stumble, but I could not get him to pass through back onto Caesar's.   Oh, for some cattle nuts!   He was absolutely fine and was happy to stand and get an ear rub while chewing his cud.   It got to 19:15, by which time it was completely dark, and he turned back into the trees, clearly giving up on going back through.  I sadly had to leave him.

The cows were all good tonight.

Thursday 5th October - 18 seen - no sign of steer 227

Most of the cows were lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud at 07:25 this morning in the area around ///stunt.configure.froth.  A few were up and about, either resting or having some breakfast.   They were all fine today.

There was still no sign of Gypsy (steer 227) this morning.   I could only search until 08:45 but searched the Shell Garage end of the site, followed the Gelvert fence line past James Bond pond to the Lookout, over to Horse Pond up to Hungry Hill and along Sandy Hill back to the Shell Garage end of the site.

I will try to get out later to have another look if no one else finds him in the meantime.

Wednesday 4th October - 18 seen

Older cows 20, 30, 35, 72 and 940 were grazing in the area around ///wins.motel.zoos at the Shell Garage end of site at 17.45 this evening.  Older cows 21 and 33 plus youngster 228 were grazing a bit further round the path.  They were all happy and very relaxed.

Cows 214, 215, 217, 220, 230, 234, 270 and 271 were all grazing in the area around ///kebab.mend.clouding at 17:55.   They were all happily munching away on grass and heather.

Youngster 222 was grazing by himself around ///skate.pave.fruity about fifteen minutes later.  Youngster 219 was grazing close by, but was making his way back to the group of eight.

Despite searching until it was completely dark at 19:20, I was not able to find steer 227 this evening.  I have absolutely no idea where he was hiding.  The other cows had all headed east to the area around ///info.homes.fiery.  They were still grazing in the dark, mainly eating leaves from the trees.  It looked like that is where they were going to spend the night.

The eighteen cows that were found were all good this evening.

Monday 2nd October - Staff Check

Rob was on site having a meeting on Monday and checked checked 19 cattle. He noted that #215 had a small wound under its right armpit but wasn't causing an impact. 

Tuesday 3rd October - All 19 seen - Steer 227 has some scratches on his right hand side

The cows were all together this afternoon at 16:40.  Steers 227 and 230 were grazing in the gorse, bramble and bushes just off the main path around ///gear.replied.tastier on Sandy Hill.

Cows 20, 33, 35, 214, 217, 222, 228 and 234 were all standing in the warm afternoon sunshine on their favourite corner.  They were all relaxing and chewing their cud.  Yearling 271 was happily munching on grass.  Older steer 30 was lying down resting.

Cows 21, 72, 220, 270 and 940 were all grazing in the pasture opposite the corner.  They were all enjoying the grass.  Youngsters 215 and 219 were more interested in searching for acorns along the side of the path.

The cows on the corner started to slowly wander over and join the others, where they started to graze.  The group started to slowly wander west along Sandy Hill.

Youngsters 227 and 230 emerged from the thicket at 17:00 and initially stood on the corner, chewing their cud, before also crossing over.  I noticed that steer 227 had some dried blood from some scratches on his rear right leg and also his right mid-section.  It looked like he had caught himself on some bramble bushes.  The scratches weren't causing him any issues, though.

The cows were all continuing to graze happily when I left them just after 17:30.  They were all good today and were enjoying the sunshine.

Monday 2nd October - All 19 seen

The cows were all together this afternoon in the area around ///ethic.uptake.sound shortly before 17:00.   They were spread out, mostly lying down in four smaller groups.  They were resting and chewing their cud.   Cows 21, 220 and 234 were up and about and were grazing in amongst the others.   

While checking the cows, there were some fairly loud rumbles of thunder in the distance.  However, just before 17:10 there was some thunder and lighting close by, followed by the inevitable heavy downpour.  Most of the cows quickly got up and wandered down to the tree at ///cemented.path.reduce where they all huddled together, seeking shelter.  Yearling 271 was determined to stay put, despite getting rather wet.  However, after one particularly loud clap of thunder, he too got up and joined the others.

I'm afraid the bad weather brought my visit to an early end.

The cows were all good today.

Sunday 1st October - All 19 seen

Youngsters 217 and 220 were off on another adventure today and were found grazing in the thicket around ///advice.lashed.stated at 09:30.  After a short while, they wandered out and over the main path to munch on some grass before returning to graze some more in the thicket.  Although by themselves, they were happy and very relaxed.

Youngster 228 was standing, resting in the area around ///wings.trend.bath at 10:10.  Steers 227, 230, 270 and 271 emerged from the trees south-west of where he was standing.  The four started to graze.  Yearling 270 was full of beans this morning and was running around, skipping and jumping and play fighting with his older friends 🤣.

The other twelve cows emerged from the trees north-east of where youngster 228 was standing around ///filed.clots.spray a short time later.  Most walked along the far side of Sunny Hill Road, under the cover of the trees, stopping occasionally to rest or hunt for some acorns.  The group of five slowly made their way over to join this larger group.

The cows had made it to the thicket around ///town.cool.pull by 10:40 where they proceeded to take part in a mass acorn hunt.  A couple of the cows were getting into rather precarious positions with the others all getting in each other's way.  The older horned steers weren't shy in moving the others on.  The cows slowly spread out but continued to hunt and munch until I left them just after 11:00.

The cows were all good today.