Friday 31st January

 All 20 happily grazing by the bottom gate. Managed to release 20ft length of bramble from one.

Plenty of nuts and water!!  Gates OK.  No walkers. Salt lick bucket is empty. Steep paths very slippery.

Tim Evans

Wednesday 29th January

Only 18 x Shetlands located and in good shape. 2 x unaccounted I think we're in the bushes, i checked the entire compound no sign of them and despite the top Gate 13 being left open, no signs or sight of them leaving the compound. 

All 5 x water troughs full. Nuts tub 1/2 full.

Mineral lick is empty. 

All Gates and fencing in good order apart from the fallen tree on the top ridge. I have pinned a What3words location: ///fades.spouse.sector

I have checked the area and no sign of the sheep attempting to exit the compound. They'd need gymnastics skills to get over such a large fallen tree. Pictured below.

I also pulled some branches off the fence line near Gate 10.

2 x walker & 3 x dogs seen outside the compound, off the lead 

1 x walker & 3 dogs on the lead inside the sheep compound. The sheep were blocking their path, but quickly turned and ran off before they came near.

Some rubbish found near the farmers fence line, all collected along with the Clarenden Way litter, clearly thrown from parked cars.

Fallen tree & damaged fence

Empty Mineral lick

Tuesday 28 Jan

All 20 sheep present, bedraggled, but I could but see any limping. Water and food ok, gates ok, no walkers or dogs. 

I agree about the fallen tree, but one branch has fencing over it so it must have been there a while (if it's the same tree). I climbed from the south east gate along the fence line to the fallen one, the fence is in place but rickety. There are signs sheep have been up the slope to 15 or so feet below the fence but no signs immediately around it (I was looking for the twentieth sheep so looked quite carefully; of course by the time I got back to the trough the flock had grown from 19 to 20, I hope the last one enjoyed the joke). 

Monday 27th January

 All 20 sheep found and healthy although a few are missing some of their coat (see the 2 below)

Water troughs full, sheep nuts about 1/2 full.

Is there a better place for the sheep nuts than over the barbed wire fence ?, I am 1.78m tall with long arms, but I can just reach !!

All gates are fine, but I did find 2 trees were down

First fallen tree, this was on the South fence downhill (West) from the Kissing gate near where the HIWWT vehicle was parked (I don't think the sheep could get over here)

Second fallen tree, this one is on the eastern fence, about 35-40m uphill (South) from the locked gate.

This one has pushed the fence down a lot so I think the sheep could escape here.

Saturday 25th January

 
All sheep 20 sheep were present and correct!! And seemed happy and unperturbed by us!
We saw 1 dog without a lead with it owners by the top gate but it was nowhere near the sheep.

Pippa pp.        Di Crawshaw & Lizzie Lane

Friday 24 January

All 20 sheep were found together on the lower part of the slope. No limpers noted, a few have large bramble twigs in their coat which I managed to pull away in most cases.

Plenty of food and water. No walkers or dogs. 

Wednesday 22nd January

All 20 Shetland sheep accountable. No limping witness. All in good shape. 17 found out the lowlands, 3 up on the slope - they eventually came over.

All Gates and fencing good. 

All 5 x troughs full & 1/2 tub of nuts. The nuts tub was a little difficult to access being in between the two fences. The flock cottoned on and I had 3 heads trying to force their way through the fence. I found throwing a few nuts over my shoulder distracted them for a bit. 

No dogs or walkers seen on site. 

I couldn't locate the mineral lick, but i need to adjust my route a little so next time.

Tuesday 21 January

All 20 present, 18 came when I called, another in the trees and the last at the top. I didn't see any notable lameness. Gates and water ok. No dogs.

Nuts and salt lick

Nut bucket topped back up and I have left a mineral lick in an orange tub out St the top of the valley. Let's see if they can smash up the scrub a little at the same time. It's good to provide them a little extra nutrients this time of year as the grass growth reduces. 

Monday 20th January

 All 20 sheep found, 19 healthy, 1 with a slight limp in front right leg (yellow tag number starting 0006 the rest off the tag was under his ear).

17 sheep were in vicinity of water troughs (including limper) , 3 were in steep valley beneath locked gate.

Water troughs full, but sheep nuts practically empty (I left a few for tomorrow).

No dog walkers seen.

Gates and fences are all okay.

Saturday 18th January

 All well. 18 grazing near the trough and 2 in the tree area. 2 walkers without dog. Water and gates ok.

Tim and Pippa

Friday 17th January

 All 20 Shetland happily grazing on the slopes. Managed to remove 10ft length of bramble off one.

Nuts getting low - water troughs full. Gates OK (glad to see No 3 is padlocked!)

One walker with dogs on lead (advised of movement of sheep to Eastern compartment).

Tim

Thurs 16th

Nut bucket moved to behind trough in east, will top it back up next Tuesday Will also adda rail to the kissing gate 9 at the bottom where kit was most likely escaping from. Thanks all, Bea

16th January - 29 Sheep off - 20 Shetlands Remain In Back Compartment

Hi All, 

We've taken 15 Shetlands and 14 Whiteface Woodlands off site. 

We've trimmed the horn of the Shetland that had a horn pressing into its eye. We've also treated the Limping Whiteface Woodland, who seems to have resistant reoccurring Skauld. We shall keep an eye on both at their new home of Ronwards in Tadley Basingstoke. 

20 Shetlands are now happily grazing on fresh grass in the furthest compartment from the coralle. 

Thanks so much for keeping such a good eye on our sheep whilst they are here! 

Best Wishes 

Grazing Team

Wednesday 15th January

All 49 sheep accountable.  14 x WFW & 35 Shetland. All in good shape, apart from:

109 WFW - still limping but adamant to get around and chase for nuts. 

Shetland (number unknown) - encroaching right horn into eye. Now eyelid is closed. 

Bea is going to check him out during this week's sheep move. 

All fencing & Gates in good order. 

Water troughs full and no ice today. Sheep nuts very low, less than 1/4 left.

2 x runners and 2 x dogs seen on site free running, but outside compound. 

Encroaching Horn

109 WFW - Limpy

Tuesday 14 Jan

14 wfw and I think 35 Shetland, but the lens fell out of my glasses making it difficult to distinguish! The wfw with the limp seemed to be doing ok although still kneeling to eat, I didn't observe any other problems. They were spread across the lower slopes when I arrived. Gates, water and food ok, and no walkers or dogs. I hoped to get all the sheep together for end of year class photo but they didn't oblige. 

Sunday 12th January

 All present and correct, as mentioned one of the whitefaced does still have a limp. Otherwise, they all seemed quite happy to be their boisterous selves, especially whilst I had nuts to offer them. There were a few more people about today although it wasn’t such a nice day.

 I went prepared to break more ice on the trough but it hadn’t refrozen ( probably as I’d hooked out a considerable amount of ice on Saturday). But is was pretty thick as you’ll see in the picture.

Pippa   pp. Richard & Sally Thomson

Friday 10 January

Very cold on the Down first thing this morning but all 49 sheep ( 14 WFW and 35 Shetland) were out on the hill. Limpy - No 109 was managing to get about and came for food, one other shetland was alone on the top of the hill and stayed there but was moving ok and seemed to be fine.

Food bin is approximately half full but water troughs are iced over . I broke the ice on one trough but expect this will ice over again unless it gets warmer.

One dog on lead with two walkers spotted on the top of the hill.

Wednesday 8th January

All 49 sheep accountable in the central compound.  14 x WFW & 35 Shetland.

In good shape apart from:

WFW 109 - Limping pretty badly, but willing to run over for food. I've sent a video to Bea for the Grazing Team. Photo below

Shetland (number unknown) - right horn encroaching into right eye. He's eyelid is now closed. Photo below

As mentioned yesterday (or Monday) lots of foliage on their coats. I had a little pampering session and managed to pull alot of the twigs off but WFW 109 with the limp is the worse. Understandably, he won't let me get close.

All Gates and fencing ok. All 3 troughs were frozen, had to break the ice and have placed a branch in each trough to avoid freezing completely. 

Sheep nuts tub just over 1/2 full.

No dog or walkers seen. 

Limpy

Shetland with encroaching horn

Tuesday 7 Jan 25

All 14 wfw and 35 Shetland present on central, and all responded to my call. One wfw has a pronounced limp but it isn't saying him bullying his way to the food. Water and food ok, the water trough under the trees not frozen. No walkers or dogs

Monday 6th August

Found all 49 sheep, 48 are healthy but the Shetland with the encroaching horn (as mentioned last Wednesday) seems to be bothered by his right eye which he keeps blinking (the right horn appears very close to the eye).

1 WFW has a lot of bramble in his coat but it doesn't seem to bother him.

The usual WFW was in the Eastern Compartment (just into the undergrowth). By talking to him he came to me and then followed me back to the kissing gate. He seemed reluctant to come all the way back into the central compartment but he did so after a couple of minutes (when I stood right back).

All the other sheep were around the lower slopes and nearby bushes which were more sheltered from the wind.

The sheep nuts are about 75% full and the water in the troughs was full (and unfrozen).

No dog walkers seen on the reserve or the nearby Clarendon Way today (3 walkers without dogs seen).

 

Monday 6th January

I've just heard this morning from a villager that there is one sheep out of the Central compartment and in the Eastern compartment I believe. I'm afraid the lookers this weekend forgot to go. Franklin I hope you have success finding it and returning it to the flock

Pippa

Friday 3rd January

 All 49 happily grazing in the 2025 sunshine not far from the water troughs. One Whiteface hobbling a bit (front left) needs keeping an eye on. Nuts about 2 inches left in bucket. Broke ice in water troughs but not too thick. All gates secure and operating well. Three lots of walkers (outside sheep central area). Reminded one group to put dog on lead as they approached sheep section.

Tim

Wednesday 1st January - New Year's Day

Happy New Year everyone 🐑

All 49 sheep accountable in the eastern compound slope. 14 x WFW & 35 Shetland. The weather is horrendous up there, very strong winds and rain. Thankfully the flock are sheltered by the hillside and aren't getting hit by the wind at the moment. 

WFW 109 - Limping on front left hoof. Won't put weight on it and limping (Pictures below)

Shetland (number unknown) - got a better photo of his right horn encroaching his eye. Looks sore.

Saw Shetland Ewe reported yesterday with shaggy coat. That was the ewe that was regularly being mounted by 3 x WFW rams, so maybe the cause of coat shedding.

All fencing fine, Gates 13 lock needs adjusting as the self closing mechanism is not catching and we found the gate open. (Picture below)

All water troughs full, sheep nuts tub 1/4 full.

10 dog walkers and 3 dogs seen on Clarenden Way, not in the reserve. 

WFW 109 - limping 

Shetland with encroaching horn

Gate 13 needs adjusting - not catching