Saturday 5th October - All 25 seen

A mixed group of fifteen cows were found near ///diary.guests.fancied at 10:10 this morning, enjoying the warm, sunny weather. Youngsters 197, 222 and 230 were lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud. Cows 214 and 234 were doing the same, a little further north. Steers 33, 217, 220 and 228, along with the other six Sussex cattle, were grazing. All were happy, relaxed and looking well. By 11:00, the Shetlands had settled near where the girls had been resting. Youngster 230 enjoyed a long back rub before joining them. The Sussexes had wandered west, continuing to graze, with cow 1396 lying down in the heather just as I was leaving.

The second group of ten cows was found near ///mixes.wallet.hooks at 11:20. They were initially eating in the gorse bushes, but soon emerged. Steers 20, 21 and 227 headed to the path to the east, where they grazed along its edges. Steers 30, 35, 219, 270 and 271, along with cows 72 and 940, preferred the heather near ///fizzy.misfits.inspects. By 11:40, the cows began to gather near ///mats.ruby.stub, with most stopping for a drink from the large puddles. Most started to relax in the sunshine, chewing their cud. Steers 20, 21, 227, 270 and 271 continued grazing in the thicket. By 12:20, the whole group wandered off to the southwest, munching on heather as they went, likely looking for a spot to lie down.

On my way back, I passed the first group again. The seven Sussex cattle were lying down resting in the heather near ///heat.repaying.evaded at 12:40, while the other eight were lying down together to the northeast near ///barman.thudding.swung.

The cows were all good today.

Fri 4th Oct - staff check

All 25 seen well in 2 groups; one at the top of the hill near the lookout and the others near the water tower.

Thursday 3rd October - 24 seen

Youngster 227 was grazing near ///swan.cook.lists at 16:45 this afternoon. He soon took a break, came over to say hello, and enjoyed a back rub. Nearby, steers 20, 30, 33, 35, 228, and 230, along with cow 214, were spread out grazing in the thicket to the southeast. Steer 227 joined them shortly after. All the cattle were happy, relaxed and looking well.

At 17:40, steers 210 and 1640, along with cow 211, were grazing along the sides of the path near ///altitude.give.ratty. They were all friendly. Steer 197 was eating in the gorse bushes but poked his head out when he heard my voice. Cow 211, who clearly had been in the gorse bushes, was happy while I brushed the gorse off her back. She was her usual affectionate self, giving me head rubs and licks. Ten minutes later, steer 1626 appeared from the south and rested by the path, chewing his cud. The other two, cows 212 and 1396, were grazing near ///only.tint.cities at 17:55. All the Sussex cattle were doing well.

Cows 72, 234 and 940, along with steers 217, 219, 220, 222, 270 and 271, were grazing near ///nicer.gift.recent, to the east of James Bond Pond at 18:10. They all appeared happy and relaxed. They wandered toward the main path, pausing for a drink from the puddles, and began grazing in the heather. After a short time, they headed off in the direction of the Lookout. Despite a thorough search, there was no sign of steer 21.

At 18:40, I noticed the first group of cows had reached the covered reservoir. Thinking I might have missed steer 21 earlier, I walked down to check on them again. By the time I arrived, they had moved round to the water treatment compound and into the pasture near ///streamers.flop.piano. Steer 21 was still not with them.

Despite searching until 19:20, when it was completely dark, I couldn’t find steer 21. I have no idea where he might have been hiding.

All the cows I did find were good today.

Wednesday 2nd October - All 25 seen

Steers 20 and 30 were resting in the heather near ///reef.sport.proudest at 16.45 this afternoon. Both were relaxed and looking well. Steer 33 was grazing in the nearby bushes, while steers 35 and 228 were in the pasture to the north. By 17:00 the boys had got up and, along with steer 33, began making their way through the bracken to join steers 35 and 228. 

Meanwhile, youngsters 227 and 230 were grazing near the path at ///inert.viewers.crypt. They paused for a drink from the puddles before heading towards the second group of cows. However, they stopped to greet me and both enjoyed some back scratches.

By 17:10, steers 21, 217, 219, 220, 222, 270 and 271, along with cows 72, 214, 234 and 940, were spread out grazing in the pasture near ///wades.flux.weeds. Most were enjoying the heather. All were happy, relaxed and healthy. Although there haven't been many flies recently, steer 219's eye hasn't improved much. Hopefully, it will start to get better soon.

At 17:45, Sussex steer 1640 was grazing near the path by ///treatable.sung.weedy at the Shell garage end of the site. The other six cattle were deep in the gorse bushes on both sides of the path. By 17:55, cow 211 and steers 197 and 1626 emerged from the bushes and started to gather. Cow 211 came over to say hello and was happy to have the gorse brushed off her back. Soon after, the group seemed to lose track of the others and wandered off to the southwest, occasionally mooing as they searched for them.

The remaining three Sussexes, cows 212 and 1396, along with steer 210, were still grazing in the gorse bushes near ///gems.swam.feast. They emerged around 18:30 and followed a path through the bushes to the same path where steer 1640 was found earlier. Once together, they all began grazing. I said my goodbyes around ten minutes later.

The cows were all good today.

Tuesday 1st October - All 25 seen

It was a miserable late afternoon and early evening out on Caesar's today, with heavy rain and strong winds. I wasn't prepared for how wet it was and ended up completely soaked.

Steers 21, 217, 219, 220, 222, 270 and 271, along with cows 234 and 940, were spread out grazing near ///piper.scuba.harsh at 16:35. It was pouring with rain, and the cows were all very wet, but that wasn't putting them off their dinner. Several came over to say hello. Cow 72, who had been nibbling on holly leaves, came over to greet me and stood with me for a while, sheltering under a tree. All the cows looked well.

At 17:10, steers 33 and 35 were enjoying the heather near ///winds.denote.logic, not far from the Lookout. Steer 20 emerged from the thicket to the southeast, making his way toward them while grazing. Steers 30 and 228 were deep in the gorse bushes to the north, but by 17:25, they had both come out, allowing me to check them. The boys were all good.

The Sussex cattle were back together, grazing on heather near ///grapes.spring.hurtles at 17:35. They were also very wet, but were happy and relaxed. Cow 211 took a break from eating to come over to greet me. She insisted on giving me some gentle head rubs and licks before standing for an ear rub. All seven were looking well.

Having not yet found British White cow 214 or steer 227, I set off back toward the first group. By 17:55, the group of five steers from the second group had made their way into the wooded area near ///axed.prom.duos.

Several cows from the first group were grazing in the pasture near ///flows.bound.behind at 18:05. Steer 227 was happily munching on grass but stopped to say hello. Cow 214 was with cow 234, eating leaves from the trees on the far side of the path to the southeast. 

The cows were all good today.