Wednesday 30th September

 Checked the cows at 9.45am. All 6 present and feeding actively at the south end of the fen. One Hereford was browsing on a willow bush

Checked pasture pump

Put up 6 common snipe

Friday 25th September 2026

The cattle must have read John B's report

 They were all by the gate this morning.

4 were sitting chewing , one white was munching grass and one of the Herefords was eating the willow tree.

All were clean a free of flies.

Pump works well.

Richard 

Staff check 23rd sept Jo

 Cattle all well and grazing towards southern end of fen. 3 British whites and one Hereford sat together. Some magpies were picking flies off them, cows didn't seem bothered by this and I couldn't see any sore areas they were targeting. Other Hereford and Angus Cross were stood and grazing nearby. 

Cattle check 23rd September

 All 6 cattle checked out at 10.15 this morning in the middle of the fen

One white ( 179) sitting down, the others feeding

Pasture pump checked

Cattle check 21/09/26

 Hi

Checked cattle between 10.10-10.40, lovely warm sunny morning, all 6 cattle were up the far end of the Meadows, have requested to them they think maybe next time I visit, that they could all be down by the gate..! 

They all looked content, half were up grazing the others content laying down, one white one had a group of flies around head, but the others were fine. 

Water pump, working well, no issues, ground a bit frier than last visit, but still a workout to get to the top and back, saw couple runners and people generally enjoying the area. 

I am away next Monday, but will let Jo know.. 

John B

Cattle check. Wednesday 16th September

 I checked all the cows at 8.30am on Wednesday 

They were all active, feeding in the middle of the fen close to the western boundary. One white cow was feeding on its own away from the group - from memory it's ear tag was 179

Pasture pump Ok

Friday 18th September 2026

Pump.works well.

Having checked it I tried to walk directly to the cattle which were half way down.the fen on the western side. Glad I was in wellies. That route was very very wet on places.

Cattle all moving slowly whilst eating.

 No flies about presumably because it was quite cold at 8.15am.

They were clean and looked healthy.

They have eaten a lot of vegetation now.

Richard 

David's Cattle Check - Thursday 17th September

 Went over about 6.30pm and left 7.30. probably a bit late as the evenings are drawing in fast! dark as I walked back down the canal. 

Pump and water supply all good. Cattle all over SW side and spread over 75 metres in towards the S. Central area. Cross-breed and a White playing, others eating. All looking clean and healthy, no issues spotted with flies. My brown mate still inquisitive and friendly.

Walk around the perimeter, to reach them, was pretty dry and firm underfoot. A bit wetter towards the middle with a strip of surface water. Old green Hunter wellies protected from surface water but pretty useless for any ankle support in the deeper wet rutted bits. Suppose it would have been predictable to expect this...........

Spotted first murmuration of the year as they went down just after 7pm. Rather early this year? 

Wednesday 16 September 2026

At the meadows in.the afternoon to do a butterfly survey and heard the cattle on passing so went to see them. All 6 near the gate some eating the Herefords sitting and others just standing.  Checked the pump which is working well

Richard 

Cattle check 14/09/26

 Hi all

Cattle checked between 10.30-11.00, water pump works well, clear water output, good sitting. 

All 6 cattle up and grazing at far end of Meadows, "of course they are"... All look well and in good health, very minimal flies today. 

Today there was a really lovely, I think I'm right in saying a Muntjack deer in the meadow, please correct me if I'm wrong, but a tiny thing, beautiful, ran a bit then then turned slightly to have a good look at me, then shot off into bushes. 

Ground very soggy under foot

Otherwise no concerns

John B

Cattle check 11 September

Pump works well pumping clean water.

The cattle were on the west side about 3/4 of the way down the field.

All were clean. 4 of them had quite a lot of flies on their faces but did not seem bothered.

3 were sitting and chewing and the other 3 standing and eating the vegetation.

Richard 

Cattle check. 9th September

 Checked cattle between 10 and 10.30am

All six cows on their feet and feeding happily in the middle of the fen within a wide circle of about 150m of each other

One of the English whites was watching me intently a little bit distant from the rest of the group whereas the others just ignored me and had their heads down

Pasture pump is working fine today, pumping clean water

- Robin

Staff check 7th sept

 Checked cows today, all sat in a loose group toward the southern end of the compartment. All very relaxed and didn't seem bothered by flies too much. 

Also saw John's heron while scanning the fen with binoculars. Gave it a wide berth so it didn't fly away. 

Cattle check 07/09/26

 Hi All

Checked cattle between 10.15-10.45, all 6 cattle sited, far end of the Meadows. 

One brown one in long grass, very boggy in there, and advised her to move out as soon as possible to protect her feet?! 

Others fine 2 lying down, 2 eating mostly bushes, they are eating it down, very few flies around cattle, but more pestering me, must be my aftershave. 

Water pump working, clear water, they are st some point going to demolish the fence around the pump, there are a few protruding nails visible now.

Otherwise, no concerns

John B

Friday 4 September 2026. cattle check

Checked around 12.30 pm.

Pump works well.

The cattle were spread across the fen a little way north of the south east gate.

The 3 whites and the cross were in the middle. One of the whites was sitting and had lots of flies around its eyes but did not appear bothered by them 

 The others were standing and eating and had only a few flies. All were clean.

I eventually found the 2 herefords sitting and eating by a tree near the East fence on the very wet tall reeds. I filled both boots with water.

The herefords looked ok as far as I could see.

Richard