Saturday 30th November

 All well with the sheep.  Despite a few recounts I only counted 48 or 46! However  they all seemed well.  There were a couple with a hobble I am not sure I would call it a limp. The water was full.  The new fence at the bottom looks very smart they will not be escaping through that!  All the gates were closed and no dog walkers in the central compartment. Pippa       pp Rebecca McKay

Friday 29 November

A beautiful morning not too cold but beware the slopes are slippy after the rain. 

4 WF and 1 Shetland were found adjacent to the boundary with the Eastern Compartment the remainder (all 44) were out grazing on the central slope.

All appear to be in good condition, plenty of food and water.

No dogs or walkers 

Wednesday 27th November

All 49 sheep accountable.  14 WFW & 35 Shetland.  All appeared in good shape, couldn't find the limping WFW, however it was very early morning and raining, so many of the WFW sheep didn't even get up as it was pretty miserable. 

Be careful whilst walking the Clarendon Way from Buckholt Road. The recent storm has washed all leaves and debris from the trail down the hill, exposing the chalk path. It's pretty treacherous under foot.

All Gates and fencing in good shape. 

Water troughs all full and 1/2 tub of sheep nuts.

No dog walkers on site. 

Tuesday 26 November

I found all 14 plus 35 sheep on the North slope, between the trough area and the eastern compartment (half a dozen wfw on the east slope). One wfw has a very bad limp front left foot or leg I'll add a photo, but I didn't observe any others lame. 

Food and water ok, nobody seen, lower gates ok. Beautiful morning, I have half lost voice this morning, but most sheep responded without my needing to shout!

Monday 25th November

 Found all 49 sheep out on the slopes in the sunshine (they were very scattered).

All looked healthy, I didn't spot the 2 limping WFW but a lot of the WFW were either 

just standing or sitting (the exception being the really friendly one and his friend who followed me).

Water trough was full and the sheep nuts are about 70% full.

No dogs or walkers seen. Fences looked fine.

Sunday 24th November 2024

 

All 49 soggy sheep eventually accounted for. Gates ok & trough unsurprisingly full to brim. WFW still lame front left. No one else crazy enough to be on the Downland in Storm Bert. Found this specimen sporting an impressive grey mohican.  One WFW with long bramble adornment to its back but I couldn't get close enough to remove it (see below). From Sam

Friday 22nd November

 All 49 happily grazing in the sun - one Whiteface limping quite badly (front left).

Water troughs had quite a thick layer of ice which I've broken and scooped out (numb hands kindly warmed by friendly WF!)

All gates OK.  No walkers. Beware steep slopes are slippery out of the sun.

Tim Evans

Wednesday 20th November

All 49 sheep accountable.  14 x WFW 35 Shetland. They were difficult to locate as they were checking out their new compound, 10 spotted up on the southern ridge (1 x WFW, 9 x Shetland) they stayed in perfect sunny spot.

All in good shape, no limping.

All 3 water troughs were frozen, I've broken the ice and put a branch in one of the 2 x water trough to help reduce the freezing. 

Sheep nut tub over 3/4 full. 

All Gates and fencing good. Chalk on gate 11 has started to fade. 

1 x Dog walker seen on site, dog on lead. 

Livestock Move Tues 19th

Hello all, 

We have moved all 49 into the central compartment, and swapped around all the grazing/dogs-on-leads signs appropriately. 

We noticed two WFWs with limps, pronounced, but still putting weight on it, and have notified the grazing team. Please keep an eye out for them to see if the the limps worsen or heal.

Thanks,

Tom and Bea

Monday 18th November

 Found all 49 sheep, of which :-

-35 Shetlands and 3 WFW came to me for food 

- 9  WFW were on the Northern Slope sitting in the sun

- 2 WFW were just into the trees on the edge of the bowl (near the Northern slope).

All looked healthy, but the Shetland that had the bramble on its coat now has the bramble more embedded in its coat and one Shetland had a small branch attached to its coat (I tried to approach this one to see if I could remove it but it moved away). Bumped into Bea on the way back so let her know.

Food is now very short (enough for at least 1 day, maybe 2).

Water trough is full, but container is now about 15% full.

Only dog walker seen was in central compartment and moving away from Western compartment.

Sunday 17th November

 I went up both afternoons and spent at least an hour in the west compartment .  The sheep were very mobile.  I didn't manage to count more than 40 each time.  However I found no injured ones. 

Pippa   pp. Clare Davies

Friday 15 November

The sheep were on the slope directly above the corral when I arrived, all 49 sheep were found there and all appeared to be in good condition, no issues noted.

Plenty of water in trough but food bucket is running low

No walkers or dogs.

Wednesday 13th November

All 49 sheep accountable and in good shape. 14 x WFW and 35 Shetland. They were all basking in the sunshine waiting for me. 

All Gates and fencing good.  Chalk graffiti still on gate 11 and found a penguin (?) and ghost (?) drawn on a post and tree on the path to gate 10. Photos below.

1 dog walker and 3 dogs spotted outside the reserve. 

All water troughs are full and no leaking hose to drinking trough. Sheep nuts tub just over 1/4 full.

Increased mole presence in the east compound near the 2 water troughs. Mole hills all over.

Beautiful day in the sunshine

Graffiti 

Tuesday 12 November

All 35 + 14 found eventually on the slope above the coral, although a few wfw started out deep in the woods, and other wfw were in small groups along the western fence, only found after searching all the other areas. No problems observed, walkers on the bridleway helped flush out the last few sheep so that I could see which breed they were. Trough, food, gates ok. The very friendly wfw did butt my backpack as I was negotiating my way down a steep slope, but I kept my footing and gave him a H&S lecture. 

Monday 11th November

 All 49 Sheep found and healthy all came to me when I called them for Sheep Nuts as they were all within 50-100m of the Corral (they were all in a circle around me when I fed them, hence my first count was 54 :-)).

One of the Shetlands has some bramble stuck to its outer coat but it does not seem to be bothering it.

I tried to remove it gentle but ideally it needs two.

The water trough was full but the main container is now quite low.

The sheep nuts are about 1/3 full, so could do with topping up.

All fences and gates fine, no dog walkers seen in the compartment (only the path outside the compartments).

Sunday 10th November

 Please find below, a short report from this weekend’s down wardening by Will and myself:

 

1)All 49 sheep were present in the western enclosure

2)All sheep looked ok and healthy, and none were limping

3)The water level in the trough was fine, and the “reserve” tank which fills the trough still has a good amount of water in it

4)The feed bucket is about half full

 

A couple of other points to mention:

a)There were a couple of dog walkers in the western enclosure, one dog being on a lead, and the other not (a black labrador).

The owner of the unleashed dog was spoken to, and the dog and owner left the enclosure when it was pointed out that sheep were present.

b)The lower pedestrian gate (1) at the entry to the western enclosure (photo attached) is not really secure as it doesn’t latch properly – it can be opened by simply pushing. This could do with a fix, probably by realigning the latch mechanism.       

 

Pippa   pp. Paul Pethica & Will Hacking

Saturday 9th staff site check

Hi all,

I've tried to sort the trough leak. The inner washer was a bit bent so I reconnected and the leak stopped but over time it might start again if the condition of the seal is too bad so please keep an eye out

I've washed off the chalk messages. I thought hazard tape you be more obvious of our firesite and is much easier to transport around site but I've taken mesh and stakes from southern end ready for our next fire

I have tried to adjust many of the gates to improve them as well.

The grazing is looking good in the western compartment, the sheep will remain in there for most of November.

Thanks,

Bea

Friday 8th November

 All 49 safely accounted for on the lower slopes not far from the water supply. All appear well - managed to clear a length of bramble from one Whiteface. Very friendly Shetland accompanied me half round the enclosure to check the gates which were all OK. Plenty of food. Water trough fine but main tank about quarter full -steady drip at the supply joint which needs new washer or loads of plumbers' tape. No walkers.   Tim Evans

chalk on gates

Hello all, Thak you for letting me know about the writings on the gates - I had used hazard ape on my last bonfire which was away from any usual footfall traffic, but perhaps this is not good enough and people do really roam this sensitive site quite extensively! I will make sure to get some stakes and netting to site on Tuesday to for the next fire we have. Thanks, Bea

Wednesday 6th November

All 49 sheep accounted for 14 x WFW & 35 Shetland. All in good shape.

All Gates and fences good - however fresh chalk graffiti on Gates 11 & 12. "No fences on Bonfire". Pictured below.

2 x water troughs full. 

Main water trough in compound is leaking. It's the hose connection from the IBC to the drinking trough. Small but constant drip, which i assume will eventually run dry. Pictured below. Tried to tighten it myself, but won't budge. IBC is half full.

Nuts tub half full.

Spotted a monk jack deer on site.

1 x Dog walker spotted with dog off the lead, diverted off the path before I could approach. Not in the sheep compound. 

Leaking connector