Cattle watch - Tuesday 31 Aug.

Cattle checked at 5.30pm today. All fit and well - grazing down by bottom gate.
Bullseye (aka no. 76) seems none the worse for being head-butted by another cow yesterday.
He has a small scab in the middle of his forehead, but the flies were not bothering him too much.

Hilary

New Ranger

Hi All

I have now taken over Lyndas role as Grazing Trial Ranger at Hart up until the end of the grazing season (29th October).

I have checked the fence and cattle everyday over the bank holiday, all cattle looked healthy, moving well and eating lots!

The fence was cut (just the top wire) by the bottom field gate on Sunday afternoon which I repaired on Monday.

I have met some of you already but hopefully I will get the opportunity to meet all of you sometime on the heath.

Craig

Cattle check - Friday 26 @ 2.30pm

Cows grazing in flat pasture by boardwalk. 95 has given himself a mud face pack. All look fit and well and moving around at quite a pace today.
Hilary

Cattle check - Thursday 25 @ 8.30am

Checked cows in the rain. All grazing in flat land near bottom path and appear well.
Hilary

Oops, sorry, I meant cow 106.

I'll have a good look at cow 108 today and call the grazier if neccessary. I noticed a couple of days ago that the grazier has been and given them a new mineral lick, so I'm sure he would have checked them over at the same time. I think I would have heard from him if he was particularly worried. It could be that 108 is just naturally a bit small and skinny, which will naturally make us more protective of him!

Leigh

Cow check - 8.30am Wednesday 25

My husband Keith checked the cows yesterday afternoon and they were fine.
I have been down at 8.30 today - they are all grazing quite happily close to the boardwalk.
I have noticed that over the past few days 106 (black cow with white face) looks quite poor in comparison to the rest - his coat is still dull and he does not seem to be putting on much weight.
Perhaps I am getting too protective!

Hilary

Hi Colin,

Not a problem. I hope your leg gets better soon!

Leigh

1 man down

Afraid I am going to be out of action with my leg for the next week or so and therefore won't be able to check on the cattle again until next Tuesday at the earliest.

Hi All,

I checked bullseye's eye today, he actually let me have a feel around it although I got a near headbut afterwards! He isn't actually weeping from his eye, and it all looks fine so i don't know whether that dark patch that leads from it is some dirt that won't shift or just his natural colouring. I'll keep an eye on it anyway and if it appears to be changing or getting worse I'll inform the grazier. Other than that they all looked healthy and happy to me.

Leigh

Cattle Check - 2.15pm Monday

Cattle all well and grazing at bottom of slope in front of tank ramp entrance. Bullseye's eye looks fine so guess either Leigh or the grazier sorted it.
They all look as if they are putting on weight - hope that is so.

Hilary

Hi All,

I'm heading down to the heath today so I will check over Bullseye and make sure his eye is okay. If necessary I will call the grazier. Lynda had a few problems putting the grid that Craig mentioned on to the blog and I'm afraid since she left I haven't had the time to try and get it on here. I think it might be easier for me to email it to you all, so expect that shortly.

Thanks for covering the weekend, and all the days in between!

Leigh

Cattle check - 2.30pm Sunday

Have checked cattle this pm - grazing between boardwalk and bottom fence. Same cow still has weepy eye. Did not walk all the fence I am afraid, but the cattle are fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle and Fence Check - Sunday 22nd August 15:30

No issue with fence line other than a few fallen branches on the new section of fence line across the Western side of the trial area, near the corral. Battery is fine (green flashing light).

Cattle found in Grid D8 under a small oak tree. All were standing, no signs of lameness.

Have other people received the Gridded map of the grazing trial site?

Sunday check

Afraid I've pulled my calf muscle (appropriate!) and am therefore unlikely to be able to check the cattle and fence tomorrow morning. If anyone else gets a chance ...?

Cattle check - Sat 21st, 8.30am

Fence fine and cattle grazing in birch scrub below corral. Bull 0976 ("Bullseye" to Leigh!) has a weepy right eye - reported to Leigh by text earlier - but all others fine.

Cattle check - Friday 20 August 14:30

Cattle grazing by bottom gate near boardwalk. All appear fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle check - Thurs 19th, 9.30am

Cattle and fencing all looking in good nick. Cattle spread out in the shorter grazing down by the boundary fence.

Thanks Hilary, I'll check about the foam insulators today. I have some spare one's if the kids have nicked them.

Leigh

Cow check - 3pm Wednesday 18 Aug.

Cows enjoyed playing hide and seek today! All fit and well, grazing in boggy land between corral and boardwalk.

Not sure if gate by the tank ramp had foam protectors on either side of it. If it did, the foam protectors on the right hand side have gone.

Hilary

Cattle Check 14:00 Monday

Cows are chilled out, grazing contentedly in pasture by boardwalk. Got them all up - none lame.
Hilary

Checked cows at 3pm. They have moved up hill to by the water trough and are all fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle check - Mon 16th, 11.00am

Just run through the paddock (the joys of working at home!) and the cattle are cooling themselves by paddling in the wet stuff over by the bottom LH gate. All present and correct.

Thanks for covering the weekend guys, it's such a big help. Nice to hear there were no big problems. I thought they looked like they were putting on weight as well, which is a good sign. I thought they were a bit skinny when they first went on, so fatter is better!

Cheers again,

Leigh

Cattle check - Sun 15th, 8.00am

Walked the fence and all fine. Cattle in a similar place to yesterday morning - all looked fine and moving well. Noticed that they all have well-rounded bellies - hopefully a sign of health?

Cattle check - Sat 14th, 8.00am

Just back from walking the fence line and checking the cattle. Fence is fine and no sign of any partying last night - no doubt thanks to the weather!

Cattle were all lying under an oak in the hollow to the right of the top-middle entrance. Got them up and moving and no sign of any mobility problems. Also no sign of any new cuts or grazes.

Cow watching

Have checked the cows every afternoon this week. Think they play hide and seek!
All fit and well. Today removed several bits of broken glass where they were grazing (in boggy woodland in high ground between two top gates).
Hilary

Thank you for adding to the blog. I'm glad to see it's up and running. I will try and add the grid map soon that Lynda and Craig produced.

It's always nice to hear about the Nightjar and to know it's still around on the nest. I checked the cattle today and all 6 are present and correct. We are still on the hunt for a replacement for Lynda, until then I'll be handling the running of the project with help from the other rangers. Any questions/worries please don't hesitate to email me on leigh.neville@hart.gov.uk or call my mobile on 07919541156. I have Lynda's old phone, so that is still the emergency contact number.

Thanks again to everyone!

Cowcheck

Did my first cow check yesterday (Monday). Eventually found all six as they were split up into group of four and two.

Second cow check at 2pm today. All six fit and well. Also disturbed a nightjar with two chicks in the heather near the boggy area. Will try to avoid them in the future.

Hilary

Report

Sunday 9pm: four cows in Hart enclosure appeared well and feeding.

Blog for Hazeley Heath Lookers

Hello

I have never created a Blog before so keep your fingers crossed!

The idea of the blog is so all the Lookers and the Rangers can keep in touch.

Some of you have kindly signed up for extra duties at the weekends while Hart continues its search for a new Seasonal Ranger.

If you go out on to the heath to check the cattle please can you add to the Blog, just a date and time will be fine but other interesting observations welcome.
If there are any problems with the fence or cattle please call 07774263889.
This number will always be held by an on call ranger.

My colleague will add some pictures and a grid map.

Thank you for all your help

Lynda