Tuesday 30 I forgot to add

All sheep seem healthy, no limping among those I could see clearly. No other problems.

Tuesday 30 September

On arrival I found the corral gate unlocked and the padlock open. I will lock it.

1 Shetland to the west of the troughs 16 Shetlands by the troughs in central compartment 

1 Shetland and 19 white faced in Eastern compartment, the remaining white-faced was in central compartment just by the Eastern fence. 

By the time I returned all 19 Shetland had moved to North Western end of central, leaving one with the WF. 

Food and water ok no walkers or dogs.

Monday 29th September

Eastern Compartment :-

10 WFW found, but only after a lot of searching in the undergrowth in the centre.

They were too far in to be able to check whether they were healthy or not.

Both Water trough are full

Central Compartment :-

Found all 30 other sheep and all looked healthy :-

10 WFW + 1 Shetland were in the area around the Sheep nuts.

16 Shetlands were in/around the undergrowth along the Northern Western Edge.

3 Shetlands were along the Western Edge.

Both Water troughs are full and the sheep nuts were about 1/3 full.

With hindsight, perhaps I should have used the Sheep nuts to get the 10 WFW 

out of the undergrowth so I could check they were healthy  ? 

(and it would have been much easier to find them).

No dog walkers seen on the nature reserve.

Sunday 28th September

The sheep were spread out between the central and eastern compartments this morning. 20 White Faced sheep all in eastern compartment along with 6 Shetlands.

Found 10 shetlands grazing on the lower part of the central compartment, but was unable to find the remaining 4 Shetlands despite an extensive search of shrub and bushes in both compartments.

Gates and fences all look ok - particularly the new stock fencing to the lower boundary.

Nut bucket not used and plenty of water in trough.

I walker with dog on lead on top path

Dave and Carys Whitehouse

Friday 26 September

 Found most wfw along the bottom admiring the shiny new stock fence, eventually accounting for all 20. Shetlands more dispersed & after wide searches between both compartments with walkie talkies & my patient husband, we had to call it a day on 18. With the thickets I reckon heat sensitive drone training may be in order?! No dog walkers, nuts by big tree (which I obviously didn't use) were 1/3 full. Lovely autumn colours & much bird song enjoyed.

Tuesday 23 September

(sorry, forgot to press publish on this post).

All sheep found, eventually, and no problems observed. In central I found 18 Shetland in the bushes on the north western end and those bordering western, and another on his own at the top near plum pudding. 

In Eastern I found  all twenty wfw and the remaining Shetland. The sheep were spread from the trough to the top of the hill, I couldn't  account for them all on the first attempt, but after walking around both compartments I found them joining together in one large, countable group (thanks for the help, Andy). Good exercise for me. 

I did not observe any health problems, but some of the Shetland were so deeply ensconced in the bushes and lying down that I can only say that they seemed ok.

Troughs in both compartments full, sheep nuts still half full.

One professional dog walker with dogs off the lead, I interrupted her phone conversation to ask her to keep them leashed but she was leaving the enclosure; she didn't appear to be carrying sufficient leads for the pack. 

Two kestrels, I believe adult and juvenile, hanging around the scrub at North end of central. I assume they bred here but seems late in the year to not yet be independent? Probably still paying off tuition fees and can't afford to leave home. 

Sheep in Eastern and Central

 Hi All,

Just to update the sheep are in both Eastern and Central for the time-being, until I can rehang the gate and add rails to the side. Will try to get this done ASAP as I appreciate it might take longer to find them! 

We had contractors in over the weekend to finish off the fence and add the gatepost.

Thanks!

Andy

Monday 22nd September

 Arrived at gate between Eastern and Central Compartments to find it had been removed see below,

The fence has been left lying down close by, see below.

20 WFW + 1 Shetland were found in the Eastern Compartment towards the Northern fence

17 Shetlands in the Central Compartment on the slopes above the area where the water troughs are.

2 Shetland's not found (could be in either compartment).

All looked healthy.

Water troughs in Central Compartment working, sheep nuts about 1/3 full.

No walkers or dogs seen on nature reserve. 

Sunday 21st September

It’s always an absolute delight to visit the sheep on a bright sunny day.  I counted 30 sheep who looked so clean, bright, all standing: some greeting me and those I got close to had good feet and were very inquisitive 🧐 Rudy my Labrador has visited with me since he was a little puppy- he is (on the lead) calm and disinterested and they accept him. New fencing since last I counted, which looks great! It all was in order.

Pippa   pp. Chris & Debs Barlow

Friday 19 September

Most of the sheep were spread out along the fence line to the lower slope with 15 WF and 2 Shetlands close to the food bucket, 5 WF and 5 Shetlands next to the fence to the eastern compartment , the remaining 13 Shetlands on the lower section of the slope.

No problems noted , plenty of food in bucket and water in troughs 

2 walkers with 4 dogs all on lead to top path 

Tuesday 16 September

All 40 found, the Shetland were around the north west gate, bushes and slope while are the white faced were nearly all around the trough a couple just to the west of the trough area. No injuries or problems seen but difficult to tell when they are still or lying down rather than coming to the call. I feel that it is going to be difficult without calling the sheep in when there are more sheep on the reserve, bad weather. 

No walkers dogs seen gates all okay trough okay. 

Monday 15th September

 Found all 40 sheep, very scattered across the lower half of the slopes with some ( 4 WFW and 1 Shetland) in the area around the water toughs/sheep nuts. All looked healthy.

Water troughs both full, sheep nuts about 1/3 full (none used) but these should go down more slowly now.

Checked all fences for fallen trees and none found (the Central Compartment is mostly sheltered from SW winds).

But there were about 20 house martins flying across the the compartment and catching insects which was a lovely sight.

Sunday 14th September

 We can report that all 40 sheep were found and accounted for. They all looked healthy and none were lame. The trough was full and the ballcock working nicely. The gates and fences are fine and we did not encounter any one else whilst we were there.

Pippa     pp. Keith & Sue Stevens

Friday 12 September

 All fine with sheep. No walkers, dogs or rubbish. Found all 40 spread out near top path (parallel with fence) without requiring a single nut shaken! I confess I’ve always used them to round up the herd as per my initial induction, but I will only be using as a last resort from now onwards.

Sam

[Important] Use of Sheep Nuts

Hi all,

I've had a polite request from our lovely grazing team so hoping to pass this on to you all.

Using the sheep nuts is OK for maybe once or twice a week, however using them consistently won't have the desired effect as the novelty wears off. Unfortunately it now appears the sheep aren't responding to the nuts as they once were. We need the sheep to not be overfed on the nuts, in a bid to make catching them easier for the grazing team and reserves staff. This is particularly important when there is an injured or diseased animal as otherwise the team are unable to treat them.

Please only use the nuts if you have thoroughly searched for the sheep already, as usually a slightly longer check should be sufficient to help find them. 

Any issues please do let me know,

Andy and the Team 

Tuesday 9th September

All 20 white faced found. 20 Shetland seen although I'm only 90% certain of this figure due to them hiding deep in the undergrowth making it easy to double count. Initially they were mostly in the northeast side by the time I left as it's getting hot many of them are under the bushes on the northwest side sensibly. I however I'm sweltering as it was cold when I left home.

Water and sheep nuts fine. Gates fine no walkers or dogs

Saturday and Sunday 6/7th September

 Saturday 6th Sept.

Weather bright and sunny.
Findings: 

1. Litter very little but as such picked up.

2. Some walkers in and out of reservation with dogs under control.

3. Mains water tanks 2 off working in Central compartment. 2 off working in Eastern compartment.

4. SHEEP. White Faced all located 20 off.
Black Faced only 18 located as under bushes and undergrowth to north of compartment.
Tried for some time with two of us but only 18 located and none interested in pellets. White Faced liked pellets.
ONE BLACK FACED limping severely in front leg but walking.

5. GATES
Many checked including large gate between Eastern & Central and No 7 & 11.
Nos. 10 and 12 have no gate bolt that connects with the gatepost catch mechanism. Therefore cannot be locked.
See pix

Sunday 7 th September 

Weather clear with moderate breeze.

1. Saw some walkers “all well behaved”.
2. Black Faced still in hiding sitting under heavy cover to North near the water tanks.
Unable to establish 20. Too difficult to count.

We thought the whole area very overgrown particularly to the West. Much more so than in the past. 

Will Hacking and Paul Pethica

Friday 5th September

All 40 sheep found early this morning close to the fence on the Northern boundary or in the bushes just up the hill from this boundary. The sheep all appear to be healthy with no visible problems.

Plenty of water in trough and food in bucket. No walkers or dogs in the central compartment

Tuesday 2 September

All 40 sheep found. A few Shetlands by the North West gate, all but one of the remainder around the lower slope,  the last one was with some WFW sheltering from the cloud around the trough. The WFW were around the trough  (9), bottom of the slope (4), further up the slope (5) and top of the slope invisible until you climb up there (2). 

Food 1/3 full, troughs fine, gates ok (see people's posts previously) and no walkers or dogs.

Monday 1st September

 All 40 sheep found and looking healthy.

14 WFW just on the downs above the North Western bushes, the other 6 WFW and 5 Shetlands in these bushes and the other 15 Shetlands in the undergrowth on the Western side of the compartment.

Water troughs were full, sheep nuts are just under half full.

All fences are sound, although some gates need to be pulled shut or stay open  (those in NE corner, NW corner and on SW side).

No dogs or walkers seen, just 2 cyclists walking up the steep hill on the Clarendon Way.