The nights are drawing in, the weather is changing and so too are the leaves. The growth of vegetation on the heaths has virtually stopped, signalling the end of the livestock lookering programme for this year. To this end, we will soon be removing the livestock from Castle Bottom.
The grazier is hoping to take the ponies off site this week and remove the cattle in two loads the following week. Of course, we will endeavour to keep you informed as to when exactly this will be, but sometimes they are removed at the graziers convenience without us knowing.
We would ask you to keep lookering (and reporting) on your usual days for the interim period and as soon as it is confirmed there are no livestock remaining, we will let you know.
Many thanks for your continued support.
The Rangers.
The cows and ponies were all still on site this morning -all together in area 15 just lazing about and grazing.
ReplyDeleteSaturday 19 October 2012 pm A misty, but warm day and very quiet / peaceful at Castle Bottom. Having walked the entire reserve without seeing even a trace, we decided that the animals must have been removed by the grazier. We made our way back to the Blackbushe gate and as we approached we could see the two ponies there. Out of the corner of her eye, Yvonne spotted a cow in the foliage to the right. Investigating further, we found all 10 cows and calves plus the bull making 11. That is the first time we have seen them all together for a long time so we were quietly pleased with ourselves. The walk wasn't wasted after all. We also saw many squirrels and a deer. The squirrels have been more active this year than we remember from previous years too. Nice to see. We have really enjoyed getting out after a busy week to do the lookering and are glad we have our dog to motivate us to get out once the cattle and ponies are gone. NOTE to Rangers: The wooden walkway down from the Blackbushe gate has a broken rail on the right about 1/4 of the way down. It is the rail underneath that supports the treads that is broken not the treads themselves. A slightly bigger repair job. So that could be our last lookering this year so really glad it was successful!
ReplyDeleteWed 24th Oct 11:00am
ReplyDeleteEasily found all the cattle today, they were lazing in area 13 around the track. The two horses were nearby. All looked fine.
Saw 8 cattle yesterday, all by the stream and on the board walk, the others must of been near by, I'm sure I could hear them. I did go last Tuesday but forgot to write it up, saw all cattle spread literally all over the site! Ponies seemed alright too!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the cattle and ponies are all still on the site, they all looked healthy yesterday afternoon as they wandered about together grazing the last of the vegetation. Thanks Yvonne and Andrew for letting us know about the broken boardwalk - we went down to fix it last Thursday. Thanks again to everyone for giving up your time to help us looker the cattle, we will let you know as soon as we hear from the grazier about them being taken off site.
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot to post on Friday and looking back I noticed my comment from the Friday before hadn't posted. Anyway when we went last friday we were unable to find any of the cattle or ponies. Was gutted as we thought we had missed them and they had already gone but nice to know they are still there and we will continue to go out on Friday until we hear otherwise. Hopefully we will have better luck this week.
ReplyDeleteWed 31st Oct 11:30am
ReplyDeleteThe graziers was at the site this morning collecting the horses. At the time we were there they were having trouble because their horse-box had slipped off the track into a shallow ditch. Rangers arrived and hopefully managed to pull them free. The bull was in area 13 wondering how to get past the trailor so that he could join the rest of the cattle up in area 1. On the way back we did meet the bull on the path down to the stream. All the livestock looked fine, this will probably be the last time that we see them as the graziers were hoping to collect the cattle in the next few days.
Found the Cattle today when we went watching. They were all right up next to the bench on the hill over the stream. They all looked very healthy and enjoying munching on the things that have been cut down and left about. Sad to think that it might be the last time we see them this year but I did take some lovely photo's of them.
ReplyDeleteWed 7th Nov 11:15am
ReplyDeleteThe cattle are still there. Initially found them lazing at the top of the hill in area 9, most of them had their hooves tucked under their bodies. On the way back from our walk the cattle were on the move making for area 8.
Really sorry I didn't get to go yesterday, it's just too dark when I get in from work. I should imagine by next week they will be gone. Ill wait to see when I finish next Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteSorry I was unable to do my watching tonight as I have been unwell. will be back next week if they are still there.
ReplyDeleteSaturday 10th November:
ReplyDeleteHi all, well it certainly is the time of mellow mists and rich colours of autumn. Today, the walk through Castle Bottom was all these things. Finding the cattle was made easier by the fact that the foliage is beginning to die back although the cows match the brown bracken really well! They were all on the top of the hill just lying down making a Constable-esque scene of rural tranquility. It will be sad when they go as this year they have brought visible life to the reserve to complement the wildlife that is more secretive. We will keep going to the reserve as it seems they are not being taken off just yet after all.
Thanks to everyone for still going out and checking on the cattle despite the cold and early dark! I went down there today and only managed to see 3 cows and the youngest brown calf, if Yvonne and Andrew hadnt seen them all yesterday I'd have thought the others had been taken off as I looked everywhere! We are still expecting them to be collected any day now, but please do, if you can, keep doing your normal checks, and we will post on here and send an email out as soon as we have confirmation from the grazier that they have been collected.
ReplyDeleteTuesday 13t Nov 10:00am
ReplyDeleteOnly 4 left. Found 3 cows and one young brown calf in area 9. They looked fine if a little forlorn, maybe they are missing their friends! We cannot check on the cows tomorrow (Wed); hence today's report.
Thursday 4pm
ReplyDeleteWell as often if I have time, when walking the dog at Blackbushe during the week, I ventured into CB to see if I could see any cows and yes across the valley I saw some! Well actually when I got there it was only the quartet 3 big + 1 little so they are still there today!!They had grouped together around the cut trees in the area on top of the hill. Hope the grazier comes soon as we have had some dry weather this week and I would like to finish this season happy + dry!(and so would the dog who had an extra long walk today) Yvonne
Saturday 11a.m.
ReplyDeleteNot to be outdone by Yvonne(!), I took Caliumn up to Blackbushe and, having worn him out, went into the reserve. I found 3 adult cows grazing and one calf lying down by the middle gate (gravel pits) but no sign of any others. Presumably the bull and the remaining 6 cows and calves have been taken off the site. Reports here of seeing only 4 are very consistent which suggestsa it may be true. We will keep going until we are "stood down" by the rangers though.
Went looking on Friday and was not lucky in finding any of the remaining cattle. I am not sure if it is due to then been picked up or because it was very foggy. Will keep on looking until told otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for still carrying out the checks on the cattle. You are right in that there are now only three cows and one calf on site. It was hoped that this remaining group would be taken off over the weekend, but we will liaise with the grazier as to when they will go. In the meantime, if you could still carry out your checks, we would be most grateful. Youre continued support is much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI did leave a comment for Friday but don't know if you got it as not been published. I didn't see any cattle when we went on Friday but was unsure if it was because they had been taken or because it was quite foggy, seen as they were seen on Saturday we will make sure we keep looking until told otherwise.
ReplyDeleteFour cows still on the Reserve... They all seemed fine today, looking very healthy with their winter coats. They wandered up to us whilst we were clearing scrub to maintain the heath in area 3, seeming very curious about what we were doing down there! We really are expecting them to be collected any day now, but the cows are definately still on the site, so if you are able and happy to continue checking on them until they are collected it would be much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThurs 29thNov 11:30am
ReplyDeleteFound the 3 cows and 1 calf by the corral (area 8) eating the hay that had been left there. They looked fine, good job they have thick coats after last night's frost and low temperatures. We noticed that extra hay bales had been left outside the gate, does this mean that the cattle will be around for some time?
We saws the cows this afternoon too, they were looking fine and don't seem to have lost any weight despite the cold weather. The latest estimate from the grazier is that they will be taken off this weekend!
ReplyDelete