A Big Thank You to all the Volunteer Cattle Lookers!

All 7 cows were found today wading in the mire below the sheltered woodland with the bricked remains of a house. They all seemed fine, though it was hard to get close to them as they were moving fairly quickly through the mire, grazing whatever they could along the way.  I did think that Curly looked a bit bloated, though he was still wandering and grazing happily enough, so hopefully one of the rangers will be able to check on them again tomorrow. If anyone else is out and about and happens to spot them, please give them a good look over and post a comment if you get a chance!
The cattle are due to be picked up by the grazier around noon on this coming Thursday (10th November), so they only have a few days left on site now. It's been a pleasure having such a well-natured group this year, and I hope that everyone has enjoyed helping out with the grazing season, it's really been much-appreciated! I'll be sending an email soon to thank you all and to find out if everyone would like to help again next year when the new cattle return to the site.
Thanks again and all the best,
Ranger Nat

Date Confirmed for Cattle to Leave Castle Bottom

I have arranged with the Grazier that the cattle will be collected on Thursday 10th November. Please continue Looking as usual until then!
I led all 7 cows to the corral this morning, and stayed with them for about half an hour to make sure they were all ok - they all looked happy and healthy. Let's just hope it doesn't snow before the 10th!
Ranger Nat

Cattle to be taken off to their Winter Retreat...

The cows at Castle Bottom have done a fantastic job this year in keeping the scrub down, and will soon be taken off the site for the winter as the amount of grazing becomes too low to sustain them. The grazier will be collecting the cattle during the first week of November (hopefully before the chance of any snowfall adding difficulties to the transportation!), and will be taken to another local site which will have more winter grazing so that they can stay well fed in the cold conditions. In the week leading up to this, we will be regularly getting the cows used to being led up to the corral, so perhaps we will see you there!
More details will be posted once the date has been confirmed...
Ranger Nat

Welcome to the Castle Bottom Lookers Blog!

Hopefully, this blog will provide a great way of feeding back information about the grazing herd at Castle Bottom. We, the Rangers, will post updates here about the movements of the herd, when they are to be brought on and off the site, as well as posting when and where we have seen them, and commenting on their health and behaviour. I hope that this will be a useful tool – a place where we can share information, follow the whereabouts of the cattle, and inform each other of how they are doing on the site.

I will be updating very soon with further information about the grazing herd and how they benefit the wildlife on the Reserve, along with rough dates for when the grazier will be coming to take them off the site for the winter. Until then, if you want to find out more, please get in touch or visit our website at www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/castle-bottom.htm

Please use this blog to post updates on when and where you have seen the cattle, whether or not they seem to be happy and healthy, and any other comments that you feel might be useful to share!

As for myself, despite spending 2 hours roaming the whole of the Reserve today (in beautiful sunshine I might add, not a bad way to spend a Saturday!), I could not find any of the cattle, which are blending in very well at the moment with all the amber heather. As such, I shall be out again in the morning to try to find them!

Happy Looking!
Ranger Nat