All we can really do is continue to keep an eye out -when you post on the blog continue to let us know if you have/haven't seen him and we will also continue to go out regularily to check on them all as well! We'll keep you updated every time we see him (we'll go wading in the mire if we have too), and hopefully over time he may start to spend more time with the rest of the herd!
In the mean time -we know you all worry but please try not to worry too much it seems he's just a bit of a loner!
All the other cows and ponies were fine as well!
11:00am Wed 11th april
ReplyDeletewe did not find the little calf, but found the rest grazing in area 7 along with the 2 ponies. All looked well and as we left they were making their way towards the stream.
I'm really please that you have seen him - I walked the dog up there today and saw all of the others by the stream. I noticed that the bull is looking a bit patchy on his back with a few bald spots, has he always been like this?
ReplyDeleteTracy
Hi Tracy, the bull did come onto the site with patchy fur/bald spots, and we haven't noticed much of a change in this since, although he currently seems healthy enough. Still, it is a good idea to monitor this and see if it gets any worse/better!
DeleteSaturday 16:00 - 18:00
DeleteFound the Bull and 7 cows including Sooty and Sweep (the two dark ones) over by the Coopers Hill boggy area (14 on the map). Jack and Jill plus - wait for it........Houdini the little loner calf were over by the corral and one other lone cow was in sector 3. She walked a few yards away from us into the undergrowth and disappeared from view thus proving that it is easy to be standing near them and still not see them!
So that's all 10 spotted on Saturday and seemingly in good health grazing away as they are supposed to.
11:00am Sat 14th Apr
ReplyDeleteIt is not our day but we thought we would go and look for the little calf. Luckily we found him in area 6 grazing with the 2 ponies. He looked a bit bedraggled after the rain but otherwise he was OK. We found 8 cattle in area 9/10 but could not see 1 of the cows - one day we will find them all!
4pm Sunday 15th
ReplyDeleteJack and Jill were grazing close to the Blackbush entrance. The bull, 5 adult cows, 1 dark calf and the small calf were all grazing in or close to the boggy area ~(area 11/12), all looked OK. We did not see the other 2 calfs - they hide so well!!.
Just roamed the site top to bottom, and still didnt see all the cows... Met Jack and Jill right at the back of the site, at the top of the stream where the willows grow over it (behind area 2/3). Then found 8 cows hiding very well in the birch and bracken near the wooden bridge on the main path (area 13). The bull and all the calves were present, including sooty, sweep, the little lone calf and the other brown calf, plus three other cows, so that makes two brown cows not found!
ReplyDeleteSaw all 10! The bull by the coppers hill entrance to the left and the other 9 in the marsh by the stream, all looked happy enough in the pouring rain. All spotted in 25mins!
ReplyDelete2:00pm Wed 18th April
ReplyDeleteFortunately we managed our 'looking' session in the sunshine! Found all 10 in the area at the top of the hill, just east of 9. All looked fine, some had very muddy legs; so we know where they had been! The ponies were grazing nearby in area 8. They too looked fine.
Had a wander round this afternoon -only got caught in one short downpour! The cows were all fine -lazying about along the top of the Myre in area 3, the ponies were munching away in area 7. They all seemed happy!
ReplyDeleteapr 19 16.00
ReplyDeleteall cattle found in area 3.the ponies were in 9.they all looked to be fine,if a little bedraggled in the hail/rain.
Found 1 Bull and 9 Cows close together on the area above the wooden steps ( area 3 ). Most were lying down "chewing the cud" and the little calf was lying close to the bull. All looked very contented ( ignoring the hail and rain that is !! ) and from what I could see they all appeared in good health. Jack and Jill were a little further up on the right of the path and again looked to be ok ( area 7 ).
ReplyDeleteSaturday 15:00
ReplyDeleteFound all 9 cows and the bull. Houdini was way over on his own in sector three whilst the rest of the herd were down by the stream. We made him stand up to check that he is OK and all seemed well. For a while, from the reports on here, we thought he was staying with the herd more, but evidently nothing has fundamentally changed.
Jack and Jill were very boisterous and nearly knocked us over as they galloped towards us and skidded on the wet ground.
All in a day's work I suppose!
Saw all the herd together (including the bull, all four calves, and the 5 brown cows) by the corral this morning, after our Dawn Chorus event at Castle Bottom. All seemed happy and healthy, with one of the cows giving sooty/sweep a good wash. The ponies were with them too, Jack bolshy as ever. I plan to put up more visible signage asking people not to feed the ponies, as this can encourage this more agressive behaviour.
ReplyDeleteI am also currently making an ID booklet, to make it easier to identify each individual animal. More news on this once it is complete. Thanks again to all the volunteers for giving up your time to undertake these checks, your help is very valuable and much appreciated!
Sunday 22nd April 10.30am
ReplyDeleteSaw 4 cows, 2 calf and the bull grazing in the boggy area - the others could have been in there too, took me while to spot some of these they are so well camouflaged!. The ponies were grazing higher up.
Saw all the cows, the bull and 3 calf. The little baby cow was AWOL again but also didn't manage to see the ponies -probably sheltering from the rain somewhere. Did manage to see three roe deer out in the myre.
ReplyDeleteWed 25th April 2:30pm
ReplyDeleteRather a wet checking session! Found 8 grazing in section 10 along with the 2 ponies. Of course the little calf was missing along with one of the cows. We had a good scout around but did not find the missing 2.
Sorry didn't get to a computer until now. I saw 8 of the cattle in section 5 along with the two ponies and the little calf and the last adult close by in section 4. The calf was drinking from the stream, he's so little. Sorry for the late report! 24/04 5:30
ReplyDelete