Castle Bottom Lookers
Friday 11 May 2012
All cows and ponies fine today
What a lovely sunny day - Castle Bottom really does look glorious in the sunshine! Checked all the cows and ponies today, and they all seemed very healthy and inquisitive. Jack was behaving himself too, although we are still trying to arrange for him to be replaced with a calmer horse, no dates confirmed as yet. Before we had to drag ourselves away from the site we also did a reptile survey (lots of adders and slow worms about!), fixed the lifted board on the boardwalk, patched up the broken gate at the corral, and painted the steps on the boardwalk to make them more visible (til we ran out of paint!). Here is a picture of one of the cows coming to have a sniff of our lunch and one of the slow worms (legless lizards) we found under a reptile tin.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hello Everybody. I am hoping this will post today as the last 2 time I have tried it has not worked. Anyway we went to check the cattle this evening, all looked very well and the ponies very calm. We found all the cattle at the the far end entrance from Cooper's Hill, and the ponies were at the top of the stairs. Just wanted to point ot that last week when we checked the cattle 2 of the adults and both ponies were over the other side of the stream grazing high up on the hill. We did again look over that side tonight as we hadn't come across them by this point and though they were not over there you can see foot prints in the mud where they have going that way. I got some lovely photos of the cattle tonight and thou I was watching out for any nesting birds, as I trecked through the bracken I was not think of any snakes that could have been in there so thank you for pointing that out.
ReplyDeleteSaturday 12th May pm Another glorious day, so that's two we've had this year!!
ReplyDeleteAll 10 Highlands were together at the corral, some lying down, althoughthey had all stood up by the time we left so we could check they were all ok.Both ponies were in the dip near the wooden bridge at the bottom of the track. Jack seems less interested in people and we think this is because the rain has caused the grass to grow,providing plenty of grazing for him to keep him occupied. Maybe that was the problem with his behaviour - he saw people as food dispensers?
The flies are particularly active today and a few cows had flies around their faces especially noses and mouths! Something to keep an eye on perhaps?
The two with the bald patches of skin seem to have new hair growing. In both cases the patches seemed smaller but maybe it was the angle of view. They do seem less timid of people who approach quietly and their comfort zone before they move away has shrunk to a few feet.
A lovely Sunday Afternoon -Saw the two ponies at the cross roads in the woods, they were content to ignore all passers-by. The majority of the cows were just a bit further along the track towards the stream, shading themselves in the woods, with two of them coming up from the stream to join them just after i arrived. The only one absent from the group was the bull who i found further round towards area 2. He seemed to have located a tiny piece of shade and didn't want to leave it. They all looked well, despite this weather having brought out teh flies.
ReplyDeleteWednesday 16th May 2:30pm
ReplyDeleteLovely day for a walk around Castle Bottom. Found the ponies walking along the track between areas 4 and 6. Only found 9 cattle lying in the shade of some conifers on the side of the hill in area 2. Looked around for the bull but no luck. Hopefully he was lying out of sight in the nearby undergrowth. All the animals looked fine.
Wednesday 16th May 12pm
ReplyDeleteSaw both the ponies and the lone bull near the boardwalk down to the stream whilst re-painting the steps on Wednesday. The rest of the herd were all hiding at the far end of site near the stream/pool behind area 3, little calf included. All seemed happy and healthy and content to explore the site, which is great as far as grazing is concerned (although it may not be so easy to find them)!
Just got back from Castle Bottom and thou we found the 2 ponies in area 12 we were not able to find any of the cows tonight. Unfortunatly Jack was feeling naughty tonight and charged at both me and my sister trying to head butt and bite us. Jill was fine thou I don't know if it is just me but it looked like she losing weight (or maybe she is moulting.)
ReplyDeleteHi I've only just realised that that's the second time my comment hasn't posted. I haven't given up! I saw 8 cattle and both ponies, that was Tuesday so pretty pointless letting you all know, just wanted you to realise aim still doing it!
ReplyDeleteSaturday 19th May. Late afternoon.We were lucky with the weather again and enjoyed our cattle lookering time, although we were a little more challenged this week!Both ponies calm+grazing together by the Corale(Jack seems fine please don't send him away)The bull,3 calves and 4 cows all munching happily in areas 12+13 and round the corner in area 14 was Houdini and the remaining cow who both joined the rest of the herd before we left them. Houdini was mooing as he walked towards them! We also saw a fox who"stared us out" and heard 2cuckoos! Steps look good, fences ok but stream is drying up again! That's us done for another week.
ReplyDeleteSunday 20th May.
ReplyDeleteAll of the cattle were together close to the corral. We noticed what could be a sore on the smallest calf, on his right side above his back leg, it was difficult to tell for sure but the hair was wet and parted so could have been due to weeping sore or just grooming. The ponies were close by too and calm today.
We cannot check them next Sunday.
Saw 8 cattle again today, haven't seen the bull in 3 weeks now!all near section 9 ish. Saw Jill near the river. All looked pretty settled and contented. 7pm! 22nd
ReplyDeleteTuesday 22nd May.
ReplyDeleteSuch a nice evening we took a stroll with our Golden Retriever round Blackbushe and past the gate to the reserve. A nice surprise awaited as Jack and Jill were by the gate. Jack was well behaved and allowed us to stroke him. Jill is still not so sure and came close but not too close.
It was a glorious sunset too. Altogether a nice end to the day.
Wednesday 23rd May 11:00am
ReplyDeleteWe failed to find the cattle. Walked around most of the site, but no luck. They must have been lying in the undergrowth, which is growing thicker and taller every visit. Found the ponies quietly grazing in area 9.